Misreading——Li QiuShi Solo Exhibition

It has been two years since Li QiuShi started to prepare for this exhibition. Tolerating the heat and chilliness in his shabby studio, people's indifference toward his works and the financial pressure in his daily life were all the challenges faced by the artist before coming to fame. Those metaphors, transformations and harmonious combinations have hinted Li's misanthropic criticisms. Meanwhile, possibility for misreading is embedded in all those images.

Generally speaking, misreading is negative which requires explanation and discussion to get one's understanding back on the track. But misreading in visual art is different, for it liberates the existing concept and imagination. Therefore, cultural misreading is in fact a communication and cumulation for a variety of information and data. In artist’s vision of 'misreading', he recreates and overthrows the peace, tranquility and blessing in traditional Chinese paintings.

Compared to the other artists who take advantage of oriental element as a stunt, Li Qiushi would rather keep a low-profile. He enters the realm of ancient Chinese art with his brush and constructs his kingdom with his own images. He is neither an avant-garde nor conservative. He shows the real China in a very Chinese way.                                                              

-Hsieh Su-Chen