Q&A

1. Your works are renowned for their meticulous realism. How did you develop this artistic style?

Qihang Li: China’s current art education still primarily focuses on realism, and my academic training has significantly influenced me. Personally, I prefer art that conveys substance, where concrete imagery expresses my ideas—not objective depictions but subjective creations. For instance, Lucian Freud’s portraits do not merely reflect the objective person but embody an inner strength.

 

2. How have the Renaissance and Baroque styles specifically influenced your work? How do you incorporate these classical elements?

Qihang Li: The timeless beauty of classical masters transcends eras and serves as coordinates guiding me to reflect and improve. Their lessons in form and color deserve endless study, though not blind imitation. As contemporary artists, we must express ourselves within our own time.

Many painters reinterpret classical imagery by capturing fleeting moments. I do this in my work as well. For example, in The Birth of the Rabbit, I referenced Piero della Francesca’s frescoes but transformed the figures into rabbits—replacing Jesus with a futuristic mechanical rabbit. This injects humor and deconstructs classical motifs, transforming them into my personal expression.

 

3. You employ multi-layer direct painting with repeated applications. What effect does this method have on your works?

Qihang Li: In an era flooded with images, a painter’s work is also image-making. The enduring appeal of oil painting lies in its unique charm, particularly the layers built up through repeated applications—a quality that Chen Danqing describes as the “condensed layers of pigment.” These layers convey not only the rich, warm texture of oil paint but also a sense of time’s passage. This experience cannot be replicated in prints; only when standing before the original work can one truly grasp it.

 

4. Your works tightly integrate character relationships with narrative scenes. How do you choose and construct these scenes?

Qihang Li: Many of my ideas stem from philosophy, literature, and poetry, where metaphors and symbols abound. When I read, hazy images often emerge in my mind, which I quickly sketch. I then seek real objects and models to assemble the scene and place it within an imagined space, often with a surreal undertone. My goal is to present a seemingly concrete spatial setting that draws the viewer into its illusion.

 

The Failed Performance III

 

5. What emotions or themes are you most focused on in your art? What message do you hope to convey to your audience?

Qihang Li: Love and loneliness are central themes—love as humanity’s eternal topic and loneliness as an innate human condition. I hope my works convey the power of love, which can both destroy and save. If everyone is an isolated island, I hope viewers will feel compassion, embracing nearby islands and finding warmth together.

 

6. How do you balance realism and romantic storytelling in your work? What do these elements mean to you?

Qihang Li: Life, as it is, isn’t worth depicting. To me, realism must transcend real life—only then does it become romantic. The two are not in conflict; it’s a matter of surpassing reality to varying degrees. Realism is the foundation of life, like a tree rooted in the ground, while romantic storytelling is the blossoms above. The deeper the roots, the more vibrant the flowers bloom.

 

7. How do you understand the “yearning for true life intentions,” and how does it shape your artistic practice?

Qihang Li: I believe everyone comes into this world with a mission that transcends ideals—it’s something we must fulfill. A painter’s task is to connect with the world and perceive the soul through their brush. This yearning for true life intentions guides me forward, providing inner peace. Without hope or resentment, I strive above past and unknown wounds, making painting my eternal poetic refuge.

 

8. What plans or new directions do you have for your future creative work?

Qihang Li: I aim to enrich my visual language further, moving beyond a singular realist narrative style. I may incorporate more expressionist elements or explore sculpture and installation art that resonates with my paintings.

Qihang Li’s artistic world is a fusion of the classical and the contemporary, a collision of reality and romance. With exceptional skill and a unique narrative perspective, he draws audiences into the depths of life’s true essence. Through his ongoing exploration, Li proves that painting is not just a visual art but a profound expression of human emotion and thought. We eagerly look forward to the touching masterpieces Qihang Li will create in the future.