Whispers And Labyrinths — Solo Exhibition by Hao Li
Whispers And Labyrinths — Solo Exhibition by Hao Li
Duration: October 25 - November 25, 2025
Artist: Hao Li
Curator: Yaoli Wang
Venue: Awake Gallery, Shenzhen, China
Prologue
The Confluence of Painting and Philosophical Thought: Li Hao's Visual Expression of Artistic Independent Thinking
Amid the torrent of information in modern society, does the individual possess the capacity for independent thought? After undergoing societal discipline, what constitutes the essence of human existence? How should each individual conduct themselves and strive for freedom? These inquiries form central themes in all of painter Li Hao's works. To paraphrase Descartes, there exists within Li Hao a spirit of "I think, therefore I am"—a romantic idealism with which he depicts his contemplations, endowing his paintings with profound intellectual depth.
Li Hao once described himself as an "observer." Towards the world, he adopts this stance to probe the cruxes and truths of humanity and life, distilling certain universalities, identifying the unavoidable pain points we all share, and transforming them into creative material. Beyond this, his sustained engagement with philosophy and literature provides the intellectual framework for his artistic practice. Li Hao also dedicates himself to repeated study of traditional art, drawing nourishment from both Western classical painting and Chinese folk Nuo culture.
Much like Bada Shanren, whom Li Hao admires, he possesses a genuine literati temperament. In his works, traditional literati painting, religious art, and slices of contemporary life—such as social media emojis and everyday gestures—undergo deconstruction and recombination. History and the present transcend temporal and spatial constraints within his frames, initiating a dialogue that forms his most distinctive artistic language. The absurd and bizarre imagery, impactful use of color and light, signature "eyeball symbols," and fusion of diverse painting techniques collectively constitute the most "stylized" aspects of Li Hao's oeuvre.
In Li Hao's "Black Series," we can still distinctly discern an "academic" painting style. During this period, Li Hao incorporated references to the eyes painted by Bada Shanren, believing their minimalist and detached "white eyes facing the sky" perfectly captured the individual solitude he perceived. He hoped that humans in the modern context could retain a measure of the ancient literati's unyielding spirit: refusing to flatter obsequiously, and preserving individual steadfastness and contemplation. In this phase, he also deconstructed Western classical paintings. For instance, the robes in The Punishing Dharma King deconstruct the gold-leaf texture from Klimt's The Kiss. Li Hao used this "sense of ornate wrapping" to represent the "exquisite" individuals experience under societal discipline. Another example is his painting titled identically to Millet's The Gleaners, through which Li Hao aimed to use Millet's classic labor scene to reflect the modern predicament of "spiritual gleaning"—the loneliness of individuals sifting for truth amidst the modern deluge of information. Li Hao enjoys using recurring elements to metaphorize deeper thoughts. The frequently appearing "robes," for instance, represent both a vessel for certain identities (religious solemnity, literati integrity) and the "collective disguise" of humans in modern society—the conscious maintenance of a "uniform image" in public contexts, contrasting with personal individuality. The recurrent emojis as collage elements symbolize "signs of emotional alienation in the digital age"; these mechanical expressions cleverly mask genuine personal feelings and moods. Together, "robes" and emojis depict the modern human condition: hollowed-out individuals shrouded in layers of disguise. Intriguingly, in the "Black Series," the faces of many figures resemble ant faces under macro lenses. Li Hao, who emphan size sresistance through "personal will" and "independent thinking," aptly aligns with the line from Gu Cheng's poetry: "One can live like an ant, yet be beautiful as a god."
Entering the "Mask Period," Li Hao's style and brushwork became more natural, raw, and free from trained, significantly influenced by his switch from his dominant right hand to his left for painting. According to Li Hao, he shifted from initially pursuing "correctness" and seeking validation to trusting what his eyes saw and following his inner self more closely. The name "Mask Series" draws inspiration, to some extent, from Jung's theory of the persona. Jung wrote in The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious: "The persona is... a system of individual adaptation to, or the manner assumed in dealing with, the world." Worn for too long, the persona prevents one from being oneself. To illustrate how individuals become alienated by the world, Li Hao directly depicts his figures wearing various masks.
Across both the "Black Series" and the "Mask Series," we often find figures holding a sword. This spiritual symbol represents individual will, signifying on one hand the individual's questioning and resistance towards established norms and alienation, and on the other, the individual's robust mental boundaries, defending against external societal discipline and power narratives. Besides "masks" and "swords," "horns," "monsters," and "bowls" are also common elements in the "Mask Series," representing respectively: the degree of an individual's resistance to the world; the bizarre eruption of the true self suppressed by the persona; and the dual needs of material and spirit. During this period, Li Hao incorporated more elements from traditional Chinese art, such as Nuo culture, into his work.
Throughout Li Hao's artistic practice, "independent thinking," "existence," "freedom," and "resisting the world" are frequently recurring themes. Li Hao once said: "Even if individual will is as insignificant as a fly, and individual reason seems worthless, I still choose to use painting to express doubt, to say 'no'." Where painting collides with philosophical thought, we witness in Li Hao the moving power of an artist confronting the void alone.
About the Artist
based in Hunan, China, b.1983
Hao Li investigates the intersection of painting and philosophical inquiry, exploring independent thought, human existence, and personal freedom in contemporary society. His work synthesizes traditional literati painting, religious imagery, and contemporary visual culture—including emojis and everyday gestures—into layered compositions that transcend temporal and spatial boundaries.
Through surreal imagery, symbolic objects, and vivid color palettes, Li constructs a visual language that is both intellectual and poetic, probing the human condition and the pursuit of inner truth. At the core of his practice is a commitment to poetic visual thought, where each painting serves as a philosophical experiment negotiating perception, metaphor, and existential reflection.