Li Hui

About this book

Li Hui (1977 in Beijing) creates three-dimensional sculptures and installations, generally out of powerful materials such as steel, wood, and laser or LED lights. His works generate surreal atmospheres: the wreck of a shattered ship, for instance, hovers above viewers' heads; red laser beams envelop the ruins of a car; prehistoric-looking skeletons are stored in vehicles or display cases illuminated by bluish light. According to the artist, these environments are to be regarded as references to Buddhist philosophy, which says that when opposites collide, something new is created. This extensive monograph is the first to examine the artist's most recent works, dating from 2005 to the present. In collaboration with the Zentrum für Internationale Lichtkunst Unna, the editor, curators, and critics shed light on Hui's themes, techniques, perspectives, and motivation; on an artist who combines the skills and knowledge of Western art and culture with the values of an Eastern worldview.