Essays by Tao Wang, Wayne Higby, Mary Drach McInnes, Michael Amy, Andrew L. Maske

As one of China’s most accomplished and innovative young artists, Li Hongwei is intelligent, hard-working, and resourceful. His outlook on the world is shaped by his study of both Chinese and western art. And he is a master of the material he uses. In contrast to his early sculptures, his recent works are made of porcelain and stainless steel. Inspired by crystal-glazed ceramics of China’s old dynasties, the artist has experimented with glazed ceramics for years. The two crystal-glaze recipes he created, and with which he has made this porcelain work, bear unreproducible colors and patterns. Because of this uniqueness, he obtained China National Invention Patents in 2015.

By comparing and connecting the crystal-glazed porcelain to the stainless steel, the artist explores the aesthetic of porcelain within the contemporary art context. The abstract form of the sculptures frees porcelain from being merely a functional object and allows it to exist as a non-functional work of art. The ovoid bodies of the sculptures echo the Chinese ideas of beauty, harmony, subtlety, and simplicity. The artist expresses modern concepts and seeks a connection between historical, hand-made porcelain and contemporary, industrial stainless steel. The smooth shaped porcelain bodies are reminiscent of Chinese classic porcelain vessels. Their reflection on the surface of stainless steel creates a dynamic dialogue between traditional and contemporary abstract art. Through the combination of Chinese traditional aesthetic and contemporary art form, Li Hongwei’s work revives and empowers porcelain within the cultural context of our age.

• Published by Pucker Art Publications, Boston, MA, 2018

• Softcover Book

• ISBN: 978-1-879985-37-7

• Price: $50.00 + $10.00 shipping