There is a clear sense of a childlike innocence and a curious timeless wisdom to be found in Li Chen’s art. If sculpture reinforces our own humanity, then Li’s work certainly does this in full, with a sense of humor, a limitless energy, and a generosity of spirit that Westerninfluenced, hard-edged metal sculpture work does not possess. Li’s vigorous embrace of the best qualities of Buddhism allows us to smile at ourselves and to see the wisdom of seeking peace in a turbulent and malevolent world. (extracted from: Ian Findlay-Brown, Asian Art News & World Sculpture News Editor, In Search of Spiritual Space in In Search of Spiritual Space area)

Completed in 2000, the work “Cloud Glider” got its name from Zhuangzi’s Xiaoyaoyou (Free and Easy Wandering), in which a holy man is described to have “climbed on top of clouds and mist, ridden a flying dragon, and wandered beyond the four seas.” The work conveys the artist’s own spiritual pursuits. The people riding the clouds seem filled with joy, perfectly elaborating upon eastern concepts of earth spirits, the life force, and gods while incorporating the powerful philosophies of Taoism. With Li Chen’s representational approach, the Buddhist statues display an almost ascetic aesthetic based on an acceptance of nature. Despite this natural simplicity the works in this period were also replete with a great energy. In this way, the work themselves are simultaneously emotionally introspective but also defined by extreme vitality. In this context, the artist seems to subscribe to the philosophical ideas and aesthetic of being “like a child” in the thought of Laozi and Zhuangzi (“Laozi” chapter 55). The sublime faces and powerful physical types created by Li ensure that his Buddha or Bodhisattva statues appear “simultaneously light and heavy.” In terms of stylistic analogies, this sense of aesthetics transcends the style of both Song and Tang dynasties and is in many ways closer to the bearing of a deity and romantic charm of the Buddhist statues of the Six Dynasties period. (extracted from: CANS Art News,Dec. 1992, Like a Child, by Chia Chi Jason Wang)