Li Yuan-chia (, 1929–1994) was a

Chinese Chinese can refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation ** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...

artist, poet and curator. He incorporated installations, works and photography into his art, and was one of a small number of artists of Chinese background active in the UK during his lifetime.

Early life and Taiwan

Li Yuan-chia was born in

Guangxi Guangxi (; ; Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanized as Kwanghsi; ; za, Gvangjsih, italics=yes), officially the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (GZAR), is an Autonomous regions of China, autonomous region of the People's Republic ...

, China. He was educated in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...

from 1949. Li Yuan-chia was one of the ''Ton Fan'' group (東方畫會) that formed in Taiwan by 1956, also known as ''Orient Movement'' or ''Dongfang Huahui''.Hsiao Chin biography.
/ref> It is credited with establishing modern

abstract art Abstract art uses visual language of shape, form, color and line to create a composition which may exist with a degree of independence from visual references in the world. Western art had been, from the Renaissance up to the middle of the 19th ...

in Chinese circles. Li was one of a number of students of Li Chung-sheng (李仲生, Pinyin Li Zhongsheng) in Ton Fan, who collectively became known as the "Eight Great Outlaws" (八大響馬). The group exhibited in 1957 at the

São Paulo Art Biennial The São Paulo Art Biennial (Portuguese: ''Bienal de São Paulo'') was founded in 1951 and has been held every two years since. It is the second oldest art biennial in the world after the Venice Biennale (in existence since 1895), which serves as ...

. In Taipei in November 1957 they held a collective exhibition, including works by Spanish painters obtained by Hsiao Chin. This was the first of 15 shows to 1971, but the group became less active because of the emigration of many of its members. A 25th anniversary show took place in 1981. Li Chung-sheng later commented on Li Yuan-chia's initial development by a facile calligraphic style, but also as an early Chinese

conceptual artist Conceptual art, also referred to as conceptualism, is art in which the concept(s) or idea(s) involved in the work take precedence over traditional Aesthetics, aesthetic, technical, and material concerns. Some works of conceptual art, sometimes ca ...

In Italy and London

Li spent time in Italy, in

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

and

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

; he was a founder of the Punto group, rejoining Hsiao Chin (蕭勤, Pinyin Xiao Qin), and was resident in Bologna in 1965. Li Yuan-chia moved to London in 1965 where he exhibited with

David Medalla David Cortez Medalla (23 March 1942 – 28 December 2020) was a Filipino international artist and political activist. His work ranged from sculpture and kinetic art to painting, installation, and performance art. Early life David Cortez Med ...

and later at the

Lisson Gallery Lisson Gallery is a contemporary art gallery with locations in London and New York, founded by Nicholas Logsdail in 1967. The gallery represents over 50 artists such as Art & Language, Ryan Gander, Carmen Herrera, Richard Long, John Latham, Sol ...

. He participated in the 1966 ''Signals 3 + 1'' exhibition, organised by Paul Keeler and Anthony de Kedrel, with Hsiao Chin, Ho Kan, and Pia Pizzo.INIVA chronology.

In the North of England

In 1968 Li Yuan-chia moved to the area of

Brampton Brampton ( or ) is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario. Brampton is a city in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#Lower-tier municipalities, lower-tier municipalit ...

(now in

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

) in North West England. After two years residence near

Lanercost Lanercost is a village in the northern part of Cumbria, England. The settlement is in the civil parish of Burtholme, in the City of Carlisle local government district. Lanercost is known for the presence of Lanercost Priory and its proximit ...

, he purchased a derelict farmhouse at Banks on

Hadrian's Wall Hadrian's Wall ( la, Vallum Aelium), also known as the Roman Wall, Picts' Wall, or ''Vallum Hadriani'' in Latin, is a former defensive fortification of the Roman province of Britannia, begun in AD 122 in the reign of the Emperor Hadrian. R ...

from the artist

Winifred Nicholson ''From Bedroom Window, Bankshead'', date unknown, private collection. Typical of Nicholson's impressionist work, combining still life with landscape. Rosa Winifred Nicholson (née Roberts; 21 December 1893 – 5 March 1981) was a British p ...

. By his own efforts and with scant resources he converted the farmhouse into the LYC Museum and Art Gallery and opened it in 1972. A local artist friend was Audrey Barker. The Museum was described by

Hunter Davies Edward Hunter Davies (born 7 January 1936) is a British author, journalist and broadcaster. His books include the only authorised biography of the Beatles. Early life Davies was born in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, to Scottish parents. For four ...

in his book ''A Walk along the Wall'', who noted among its exhibits a piece by

Takis Takis may refer to: * Takis (snack), a spicy, roll-shaped snack * Takis Christoforidis, a Greek actor * Takis Fotopoulos, a Greek political philosopher * Takis Ikonomopoulos, a Greek football player * Takis Kanellopoulos a Greek film director * T ...

and a painting by

Alfred Wallis Alfred Wallis (18 August 1855 – 29 August 1942) was a British fisherman and artist known for his port landscapes and shipping scenes painted in a naïve style. Having no artistic training, he began painting at the age of 70, using househol ...

. The LYC exhibited artists such as

Andy Goldsworthy Andy Goldsworthy (born 26 July 1956) is an English sculptor, photographer, and environmentalist who produces site-specific sculptures and land art situated in natural and urban settings. Early life Goldsworthy was born in Cheshire on 26 J ...

and David Nash. Rosie Leventon,

Rose Frain Rose Frain is a visual artist based in Edinburgh, Scotland,Mansfield, Susan (2009)Art reviews: Nashashibi/Skaer , Rose Frain , Andrew Ranville, ''The Scotsman'', 1 September 2009, retrieved 2010-01-25 exhibiting nationally and internationally, ...

Kate Nicholson Kate Nicholson (July 1929 – 18 April 2019) was an English painter and the daughter of artist Ben Nicholson and his first wife, the artist Winifred Nicholson. Biography Born at Bankshead, Banks, Cumberland in 1929, Nicholson was a pupil at Cl ...

and

Bill Woodrow Bill Woodrow (born 1 November 1948) is a British sculptor. Early years and education Bill Woodrow was born on 1 November 1948 near Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. He received his education at the Winchester College of Art (1967–1968), the Ce ...

held solo shows there during the 1980s. It also encouraged the creative efforts of children, some of whom went on to successful careers in the arts. Gaining increasing recognition for his enterprise, after a year or two Li was awarded funding from the Arts Council, making it possible for the Museum to continue its activities for the ten years he had originally planned.

Death and legacy

Li Yuan-chia died of cancer. There was a 1998 memorial exhibition of his work in Taipei. A retrospective of his work and career was shown in London at the

Camden Arts Centre Camden Art Centre (formerly known as Hampstead Arts Centre until 1967 and Camden Arts Centre until 2020) is a contemporary art gallery in the London Borough of Camden, England that hosts temporary exhibitions and educational outreach projects. T ...

in 2001.

Exhibitions

* São Paulo Biennale 1957 * São Paulo Biennale 1959 * Stadisches Museum Leverkusen 1960 * Obelisko Gallery Rome * White - White 1965 * Signals London Soundings Two 1966 * Signals London Soundings 3 + 1 = Li Y - C etc. * Lisson Gallery * Cosmic Point 1967This list taken from a Lisson Gallery catalogue, dated October 1967 * The Other Story, Hayward Gallery, 1989–90 * Camden Arts Centre, 26 January - 18 March 2001; Kendal, Cumbria: Abbot Hall Art Gallery, Kendal 28 March - 3 June; Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels 6 July - 9 September 2001

References

* *

Guy Brett Guy Anthony Baliol Brett (1942–2021) was an English art critic, writer and curator. He was noted for a personal vision, particularly of cultural production of an experimental character. He is known for the promotion of Latin American artists, and ...

and Nick Sawyer (2000) ''Li Yuan-Chia: Tell Me What is Not Yet Said'' (London: Institute of International Visual Arts) * Guy Brett, ''Li Yuan-chia 1929-1994'', ''Third Text'' n28/9, Autumn/Winter 1994, 3-4: obituary

Notes

External links

LYC Foundation page

The Estate of Li Yuan-chia

Spotlight On: LI Yuan-Chia at Richard Saltoun

INIVA archive page, Li Yuan-chia

INIVA archive page, Exhibitions+Projects

Tate Collection page
*
Page in ''Encyclopedia of Taiwan''.

{{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Yuan-chia 1929 births 1991 deaths Artists from Guangxi Chinese curators Republic of China poets British people of Chinese descent Taiwanese artists British curators 20th-century poets Poets from Guangxi