“The beacon is a ceremony. Yingze is what gives it life.” - Li Chen
In the “Beacon” series, Li Chen portrays the lighting of a lamp as a kind of rejuvenating repose that contains the subtle joy of a simple ceremony. Between us and the light a sense of romance emerges from the slow dance of the candle’s flame that allows the mind to settle, giving us an opportunity to begin a dialogue within ourselves. Li Chen utilizes the Buddhist concept of emptiness and the Daoist concept of “Qi” in combination with modern language to blend the abstract with the concrete and create a figure that is gentle and lively while preserving its meditative stillness.The piece, “Fire Master” is centered around a timeless spirit whose peaceful and auspicious visage is defined by the upturned corners of its mouth. It’s leisurely posture appears peaceful and comfortable reclined within a cloud perched upon a mountaintop. In front of its chest is a flame that it manipulates as if to refine or in play, reminiscent of the fire brought by Suiren. The warmth within the dance of the flame’s light is filled with life and successfully recalls a never-ending cycle of breath, filled with peace, wisdom and good fortune. Like a light appearing after a thousand years of darkness, the swaying glimmer of the flame casts the figure in both light and shadow in a wise and serene style inspired by yingze and gilded by light.