The face of the twelve-armed statue has no facial features. The face is blurred, leaving only the outline, and the hands have different finger shapes, as if they are expressing laughter, swearing, curses, and blessings instead of making the Buddhist sign.
This work, which borrows the iconography of Buddhist art but feels humor and liveliness rather than solemnity, is the 1999 work 'Butterfly Kingdom' by Taiwanese sculptor Lee Chen (63), who is holding his first solo exhibition in Korea, 'New Eastern Spirit - True and Transcendent', at the Gana Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul.
'Butterfly Kingdom' is also the nickname of Taiwan, which is home to over 400 species of butterflies and was once the world's largest exporter of butterflies.
In this exhibition, Li Chen presents a total of 42 works, including 21 sculptures and 21 drawings, from his early works in 1999 to his most recent works in 2025.
Li Chen has built his own artistic world by exploring traditional Chinese philosophies such as Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Although it uses heavy materials like bronze, it is characterized by creating a soft, round shape as if it is filled with air or energy. Instead of simply reproducing traditional icons or following the form of Western sculpture, Eastern thoughts are expressed through modern formative language.
The representative work of this exhibition, ‘The Gift’, is a bronze sculpture of a person in lotus position with eyes closed.
Although it follows the quiet sitting posture of a sitting Buddha statue, its smooth, round face and body are far from traditional Buddha statues.
Beneath the body is supported by a rough-cut Taeho Stone with holes in it. The contrast between the smooth body and the rough seat symbolizes the contradictions that coexist within humans, such as good and evil, will and instinct, desire and self-control.
In the artist's note, Li Chen explained the spirit of the work, which approaches the reason of existence through inner peace and harmony, saying, "When thoughts are quiet, God becomes clear, and when the mind is peaceful, the energy becomes strong."
'Optical Fiber (I)' shows the author's critical gaze toward modern society.
The figure's bloated body is wrapped in layers of hemp rope, with only the head and feet exposed.
Although the body is restrained, instead of anxiety or pain, an expression of satisfaction as if addicted appears on the face. This work is a metaphor for modern people who rely on technology and confine themselves to networks.
Li Chen pointed out, “Perhaps we are ‘communal claustrophobia patients’ who escape reality, bury themselves in fiber-optic networks, and reveal their secrets for a moment of lonely vanity.”
The artist describes his sculptures as 'vibrant movement' (氣韻生movement), that is, a state in which the object seems to be alive and moving with the energy of life. This is why linear elements are reduced and the flow created by repeated curved surfaces is emphasized.
He called his work, which translates classical thinking into a new contemporary form, 'New Oriental Spirit' and gave it the title of this exhibition.
Lichen made his name known in the international art world by holding a solo exhibition as an official collateral event of the 52nd Venice Biennale in 2007. He has held solo exhibitions at the China Art Museum (Beijing), the National Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall (Taipei), and the Frei Art Museum (Seattle), and his works are collected in major art institutions around the world, including the Cernuschi Museum of Art in France, the National Taiwan Museum of Art, the Kaohsiung Museum of Art, and the Taichung Museum of Art.
In 2025, Cercle d'Art, a French art publisher, published 'Monograph', which sheds light on the world of his works.
The exhibition runs until November 22nd.
