Li Xiaoke retrospective opens at Xizang Art Museum

A promotional poster for the Li Xiaoke art exhibition. [Photo courtesy of the Li Keran Art Foundation]

An exhibition featuring works by the contemporary Chinese artist Li Xiaoke (1944-2021) opened on July 2 at the Xizang Art Museum in Lhasa. The exhibition highlights Li's profound connection with Xizang, a region he visited 34 times throughout his life, inspiring much of his artworks.

The art exhibition displays a total of 90 works, comprising 50 ink paintings and 40 prints and will run until Aug. 23. Organized into three thematic sections, "Ink Homeland," "Traces of the Snowy Land of Xizang" and "Huangshan Mountain: Learning from Nature," the show comprehensively presents the artist's focus on Beijing, Xizang and Huangshan Mountain as his primary creative themes.

Li Xiaoke, the son of the prominent 20th-century Chinese artist Li Keran (1907-1989), was a renowned landscape painter. He studied traditional Chinese landscape painting from a young age, influenced by his artistic family background. His repeated visits to Xizang allowed him to capture the majestic sacred mountains and the lives of the local Xizang people through his brushwork. His works are noted for blending the essence of traditional Chinese painting with modern elements, reflecting his deep insights into life and nature.

"Sacred Land" (2016) by Li Xiaoke, one of the featured works in the exhibition at the Xizang Art Museum, Lhasa. [Photo courtesy of the Li Keran Art Foundation]

"Snow-Covered Plateau " (2016) by Li Xiaoke, one of the featured works in the exhibition at the Xizang Art Museum, Lhasa. [Photo courtesy of the Li Keran Art Foundation]

"This exhibition is Li Xiaoke's way of reporting back to the people of the plateau, showing his understanding and artistic portrayal of contemporary Xizang culture," said Han Shuli, honorary chairman of the Xizang Federation of Literary and Art Circles. He added that it is also a valuable opportunity for those in Xizang to engage with the artist's work.

Xue Liang, head of the Art Museum of Beijing Fine Art Academy , highlighted Li's pioneering efforts in using traditional Chinese ink brush techniques to explore new artistic expressions for the unique landscapes of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau. He noted that the exhibition provides a panoramic view of Li's ink art, from his poetic memories of Beijing, to the misty peaks of Huangshan and his deep affection for Xizang.

Liu Ying, chairperson of the Li Keran Art Foundation and Li Xiaoke's widow, reiterated Li's love for the nature, culture and people of Xizang. She said that Li actively worked to promote Xizang culture throughout his life, and this exhibition not only serves as a report of his artistic contributions but also reflects the Li Keran Art Foundation's sustained efforts in the preservation and promotion of Xizang's cultural traditions and artistic growth.

The exhibition is supported by the China Central Institute for Culture and History , and jointly organized by the China Artists Association , the Xizang Autonomous Region Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Beijing Fine Art Academy . It is undertaken by the Xizang Art Museum, the Xizang Autonomous Region Artists Association and the Li Keran Art Foundation.