Li Huayi

painted in 1990
inscribed in Chinese and marked with six seals of the artist

Lo Shan Tang, Hong Kong
Important Private Asian Collection

Hall, Robert and Edwin Miller, Contemporary Chinese Paintings III: Migration, Lo Shan Tang, Hong Kong, 1990, pl. 26 

Overall in very good condition. The image is mounted as a hanging scroll temporarily affixed to board in an acrylic box measuring 265 by 99 by 5.5 cm.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Guanyin, The Soverign is an extremely atypical work from the end of Li’s early experimental period in the 1980s, and is considered one of the best examples of his transitional phase, prior to the development of his signature landscape style. Following his relocation to San Francisco and graduation from the Academy of Arts in 1982, Li created works belonging to the Elements series, through which he explores the potential combination of traditional Chinese elements and mediums with abstract forms and Western styles of composition. The depiction of the bodhisattva in the present work strongly resembles that of the Buddhist murals seen in the Mogao caves at Dunhuang, which Li visited in the 1970s, after the Cultural Revolution. Departing from the ancient Buddhist representation, Li placed the figure against an abstract background painted with expressive ink washes of varied tonality, achieving a striking visual effect full of raw texture and bold movement. Excerpts of Buddhist texts are applied as a collage, substituting the written inscriptions in traditional Chinese literati paintings. Through the fusion of different artistic forms and styles, Li demonstrates his knowledge and appreciation for ancient art and history, his mastery of the traditional medium and painting techniques, as well as the influence of Western style and elements on the formation of a powerful visual language of self-expression.