ECHOES OF THE SILENCE XVI

Traditional Chinese scholars like to express their feelings through beautiful depictions of nature, thus placing a significant emphasis on the innate ties between man and the environment in which he lives. Likewise, J. Li too hopes to draw on those connections albeit in regards to the dilapidation of our natural surroundings. Unlike the odes to beautiful nature of the past, J. Li hopes to call attention to the current destruction of nature and global climate change, perhaps in turn as a reflection of the inner decay of man.

J. Li primarily works with watercolor. Yet, as visible in artworks from her collections, she challenges the conventional views of this medium. In her paintings, the medium is not so transparent, not so spontaneous in some parts, and not so ‘watercolor’ anymore. The brush strokes are delicate, sensitive and sharp; the essence of Chinese calligraphy is reflected in her watercolor works.