Li Chuanyi 李釧毅 was born in Chaozhou, China and raised in Hong Kong. She obtained her bachelor degree from the Department of Lacquer, Sichuan Fine Arts Institute in 2019 and moved to Beijing in 2020. In 2021, Li established “Ringroad” studio in Beijing to promote lacquer art that adds depth to our life.

Her vision is to vitalise lacquer art, and empower traditional craftsmanship with design. The lacquer box series is her reflection on lacquer making and everyday utensils. In the process she explores traditional craftsmanship through design that stimulates new ideas, and produces unconventional effects.

 

“45 Minutes” is a series of works presenting different parts of the body of a whale. Whales are creatures of the open ocean; they feed, mate, give birth, suckle and raise their young at sea. So extreme is their adaptation to life underwater that they are unable to survive on land. The blow or spout is one of the most common surface activities known to whales and results from breathing. Whales spend up to 45 minutes underwater and rise to the surface to release air under massive pressure. Li uses whale as a metaphor for the sustainability and rarity of lacquer art.