Li Hongbo’s artistic creation is grounded in his own starting point. Seeking inspiration from the traditions of his own Chinese culture, he looks into his origin for creative possibilities, and merges ideas with his rich knowledge in contemporary concepts to present pieces of art which are unique in aesthetics, purity, and fascination. With the use of simple material and craft, he instills a strong connection to reality into his artworks, while at the same time enriching the spiritual value of the mediums used.
Li’s concepts are distinctly contemporary. Exploring the malleability of materials, his sculptures command viewers to think out of the box, while at the same time echo the absurdities of the world and the confusion of its inhabitants. From the traditional Chinese folk craft of ‘paper gourd’ to the food chopping knives widely used in China, he manipulates materials with a long history and infinite cultural attributes into different shapes, sizes, and directions. His expendable paper sculptures and carved knife sculptures are living, performing tales by the artist’s hand. From a tree made out of paper to a bird held at gunpoint, Li’s artworks serve as cultural narratives that illuminate the artist’s perception of reality.