Li Chao was born in 1978 in Xinyang, Henan Province, and currently lives and works in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province. As the initiator of the concept of “Contemporary Chinese Ceramics,” he is both an artist and a curator. He has published numerous professional articles in various art journals and newspapers, including Wen Yi Zheng Ming, China Culture Daily, World Art, China Ceramic Artist, China Ceramics, China Ceramic Industry, Ceramics Art & Perception, Infoceramica, Ceramic Weekly, and Ceramics Now. His representative works include the Red Series, Bad Kids Series, and Good Dog Series. His works have been exhibited in multiple national and international exhibitions and collected by individuals and institutions. In addition, he has curated numerous exhibitions on ceramics and contemporary art, held solo exhibitions and lectures both domestically and abroad, and served as a visiting professor at Dickinson College in the United States and other universities worldwide.

A Philosopher’s Sleepwalk

ceramic painting, diameter: 30 cm, 2019

This work employs experimental techniques, ingeniously combining blue and white decoration with spatial composition to create a novel artistic realm. It marks a brand-new expression and a significant contemporary breakthrough in experimental ceramic painting in China. The work transcends the aesthetic boundaries of traditional ceramic painting, exploring new methods of expression and artistic language. This spirit of innovation injects new vitality into ceramic painting, encouraging audiences to approach and appreciate diverse forms of artistic expression with an open mind.

This work conveys transitions between different times and spaces within a dream, allowing audiences to experience the solitude and exploratory spirit of a philosopher’s sleepwalk. Its spatial composition enhances the work’s depth and dimensionality, enriching the visual experience. With its surrealist theme and techniques, this remarkable work breathes new life and cultural significance into ceramics, inspiring us to view art with a contemporary mindset. Today’s ceramics should not merely replicate or imitate traditional craftsmanship but should innovate and evolve by integrating contemporary cultural contexts and addressing audiences’ needs, revitalizing traditional culture for the new era.

As a scholar-artist and curator with extensive experience, Li Chao has long been devoted to painting and ceramic-based sculpture. His ceramic painting work A Philosopher’s Sleepwalk evokes associations with the inner world, intellectual exploration, and the illusory nature of dreams. It creates a surreal ambiance, leading the viewer’s gaze to follow an imagined philosopher into a dreamlike space filled with the unknown and the fantastical. The sun and moon coexist in this multidimensional space, and mountains, rivers, and architecture unfold like a traditional Chinese landscape painting. Points, lines, and planes converge to segment space and carry profound reflections on life, philosophy, and humanity, giving the work greater depth and interpretive potential.