Li Hongbo

Li Hongbo is a Chinese artist best known for his intricate paper sculptures depicting Classical Grecian busts, firearms, and full-scale figures. Li Hongbo’s works are characterized by their unique media- paper and glue Initially inspired by the idea of tradition and ubiquity that paper embodies, Li creates a hidden element of surprise in his paper sculptures that stretch in infinitely many ways. The static and emotionless state of the sculptures transform into unpredictable images, ultimately accentuating the difference between restriction and freedom.
Each bust comprises roughly 7,000 to 26,000 sheets of white paper stacked on top of each other. They are glued manually in a honeycomb structure, allowing the resulting sculptures complete flexibility and sturdiness.
Employing traditional Chinese techniques, the artist folds thousands of paper sheets into a dense honeycomb, then cuts and glues each segment together into a large block, before chiseling and sanding out the shape. Each sculpture is able to be folded and unfolded like an accordion, without damaging the work. Born in 1974 in Jilin, China, he attended the Jilin Normal University for his BFA and the Folk Art Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing for his MFA. Li lives and works in Beijing, China. Today the artist’s works are in the collections of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and 53 Art Museum in Guangzhou.

1974 Born in Jilin, China, in.
1996 Graduated from Fine Arts from Jilin Normal University, Jilin, China
2001 Graduated from Folk Art Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing
2010 Graduated from Experimental Art Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Beijing

■ Solo Exhibitions
2014 “Tools of Study”, Klein Sun Gallery, New York, NY[12]
2013 “Li Hongbo – Out of Paper”, Kunstverein Ludwigsburg, Ludwigsburg, Germany
2012 “Self,” Schoeni Art Gallery, Hong Kong
2012 “A Tree,” Mizuma & One Gallery, Beijing, China
2011 “The World – Li Hongbo New Works Exhibition,” Found Museum, Beijing, China; Modern
Art Gallery, Taichung, Taiwan

■ Selected Group Exhibitions
2013 “Confronting Anitya,” Palazzo Michiel, Venice, Italy
“CODA Paper Art 2013,” CODA Museum, Apeldoorn, The Netherlands
“PaperWorks: The Art and Science of an Extraordinary Material,” Berkshire Museum,
Pittsfield, MA
“Hot Pot,” Brattleboro Museum, Brattleboro, VT
“Transformation – A Perspective of Contemporary Art,” 53 Art Museum, Guangzhou, China
“Freeze Frame Moments – 2013 Young Artist Invitational Exhibition,” Nen Art Museum,
Guangzhou, China
“Insightful Charisma,” Shanghai Himalayas Museum, Shanghai, China
“Tan Wei Guan Zhi,” Wu Niu Visual and Packing Institute Visual Arts Museum, Chengdu,
China
2012 “Ctrl + N: Non-Linear Practice,” Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, South Korea
“Material àla Object,” Eli Klein Fine Art, New York, NY
“All our relations,” 18th Biennale of Sydney, Australia
“Research Exhibition on Post-70’s Generation Artists Jianghan Star Plan,” Wu Han Art
Museum, Wu Han, China
“The Start of a Long Journey: The Collection of Excellent Graduate Works from The Central
Academy of Fine Arts (2009 – 2011),” Art @ Golden Square, London, England
“1st Xinjiang Biennale,” Xinjiang International Exposition Centre, Ürümqi, Xinjiang, China
2011 “Start from the Horizon: Chinese Contemporary Sculpture Since 1978,” Sishang Art Museum,
Beijing, China
“Material → Object,” EK Projects, Beijing, China
“Experimental Art,” Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
2010 “The Big Bang,” White Rabbit Foundation, Sydney, Australia
“Journey of a Thousand Miles,” Central Academy of Fine Arts Museum, Beijing, China
“Object Energy,” Found Museum, Beijing, China
“Tien Kung Kai Wu,” Deshan Art Space, Beijing, China
“I’m on the Road to…,” Mizuma & One Gallery, Beijing, China
2007 “The Desire for Material Welfare & No Wants,” Jin Du Art Center, Beijing, China
“Shared Time and Space,” K Space, Beijing, China