Wisdom Bodhisattva and Fulfillment Bodhisattva by Li Chen

Provenance:
Goedhuis Contemporary, London/New York
Private Collection

Literature:
Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, 'A Modern Spin on Spirituality', "The New York Times", 1 October 2009 [online publication]

In a 2009 "New York Times" article, the artist confronts the comparisons to the great Columbian artist Fernando Botero: “Botero is more about the weight of material and flesh, my work is more about the emptiness and void, two important concepts in Buddhism and Taoism.” The present works are finished with black lacquer, bringing a certain aura of weightlessness to each sculpture.

The curator of the 2009 outdoor exhibition "Li Chen: Mind.Body.Spirit" at the Singapore Art Museum, Tan Hwee Koo further supports this view: “Mr. Li’s sculptures are predominantly based on the artist’s study of Buddhism and Taoist philosophies, which he combines by injecting the Buddhist concept of emptiness and the Taoist concept of chi, or energy... The inflated figures are actually a reflection of the chi, the energy inside... He’s injecting the life force into the sculpture.”

While "Wisdom Bodhisattva" is meant to visually represent the notion of “great wisdom”, "Fulfillment Bodhisattva" instead assumes the role of “universal virtue”. Both works were completed in 2001 as part of his series "Spiritual Journey Through the Great Ether", featuring various character sculptures that challenge the traditional modes of statue- making. Even on this intimate scale, the pair conveys a whimsical quality that the artist brings to traditional Chinese beliefs and philosophies throughout his oeuvre.