Li Yonggeng
The exhibition "Verschreibung" presents, for the first time in Europe, works by the Chinese artist Li Yong-geng from his eponymous series, from July 5 to August 30, 2014, at the SHI FANG Fine Art gallery in Düsseldorf.
The works featured in the exhibition were created between 2006 and 2013. They all follow the same principle: Li stretches a colored fabric over a canvas frame, which he then damages or allows someone else to damage, before sewing it back together. The title of the series, "处方," translates to "Verschreibung," and should be understood in the context of a medical prescription for medication or therapy. Li plays with the methods through which humans interact with their environment, maintaining a medical context while also extending it to other areas of life. His work with the canvas is an exploration of his own approach, the ways of handling the material, and the interaction that arises between the artist and the artwork.
Thus, the artistic endeavor can also become a form of self-prescribed therapy. Li presents himself as both the injured and the healer. The result is the evidence of the confrontation between the artist and the artwork.
The uniqueness of embroidery as a technique lies in the fact that each step of the process remains traceable, making the artwork a witness to this encounter. This traceability is important to Li; the impact on the viewer is essential to him in the creation process of the artwork.
The technique of embroidery is also interesting as a reference to Chinese tradition. As a form of folk art, it is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and there are still several schools today that teach this craft. Despite this connection to Chinese tradition, Li maintains a distance from the tradition of figurative embroidery that is still taught today, seeing himself more in line with the tradition of European artists.
Li's fascination with everyday and artisanal work is also reflected in his other pieces. In these installations, made with everyday materials, one might draw a connection to the Düsseldorf artist Joseph Beuys, whom Li considers a significant influence on his work.