Based in London, Yibeijia Li is an artist who harnesses the transformative power of clay, embracing its ability to morph into diverse shapes, colours, and textures. Li sees clay as a metaphor for human adaptability, resonating with our instinctive connection to nature and its mutable essence.
Li's artistic mission is to forge new realms where the mystical elements of science fiction, the depth of artisanal traditions, the weight of profound philosophies, and the richness of ancient mythologies converge. Each creation by Li is a distinctive exploration of humanity's current role and relationship with Earth. Drawing profound inspiration from London's bustling urban tapestry – its vibrant street gardens, tranquil riverbanks, and the captivating allure of found objects – Li's works stand as a tribute to the city's dynamic spirit.
In Li's vision, the world echoes the essence of London yet is seen through a transformative creative lens. This perspective reveals a reimagined and uncovered reality. Li's artworks emerge as unearthed treasures from an enchanting world conjured by the artist's imagination. Each piece is a narrative entity, a fragment of a larger, mysterious story, beckoning viewers to journey through a dreamscape where the familiar melds with the fantastical.
In this artistic journey, Li invites the audience to traverse a landscape where reality and fantasy blend, showcasing a unique interpretation of our world through the eyes of a visionary.
STORY 1 : BY THE RIVER FLEET IN A RAINY DAY
It is a rainy day like today, in the River Fleet near Carmelite Street, the water are rushier than ever, it is the dampest autumn in London since I remembered.
I guess busy Londoners would never notice, life are thriving in the river that has been long forgotten. If there was water creature lived in it, I suppose they have left a long time ago, new life seemed quickly occupied the dark brown stone-like body as a blink of an eye, the death or departure of the others could quickly be ignored.
According to my observation, the spiky creature matures when it turns orange and give fruits which varied in shapes and shades, green is when they were first grown, and the rest egg shaped blobs are the babies that are about to come out. I could not help but wonder, was it used to be a cornerstone of the ancient wall from the Roman time? When the Fleet was once a broad tidal basin several hundred feet wide. Was it one of the lost artefact of the Railway Pension Fund flooded out amongst other artworks, when the River Fleet pipe bursted? Well, I guess they will never know.
The object itself now have been given a new life carrying the past that known by few little others, like the long forgotten Fleet it is now an underground sewer.
BY THE RIVER FLEET IN THE RAINY DAY 01
2023
Stoneware
35 x 30 x 25cm
BY THE RIVER FLEET IN THE RAINY DAY 02
2023 Stoneware
15 x 15 x 33cm
BY THE RIVER FLEET IN A RAINY DAY 03
2023 Stoneware
31 x 23 x 20