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About the artwork

Li Jin is recognised for his unconventional art, which blends classical Chinese brushwork with depictions of mundane, bodily or private moments. His pieces, executed with fluid, watery lines and vibrant colours, frequently feature figures with less-than-perfect physiques, shown engaging in solitary or self-indulgent actions such as eating, drinking, bathing or just relaxing. The men and women in Li Jin’s drawings appear relaxed and comfortable in their bodies oblivious of their imperfections. There is also something disarming and innocent about the way he portrays them realistically – their breasts and tummies have little rolls of fat spilling over their underwear. They remain individuals with none of the usual ideals of how society thinks they should look.

About the artist

Li Jin (b. 1958, Tianjin, China) is one of China’s most beloved contemporary ink painters, celebrated for transforming everyday moment into colourful, whimsical narratives. A member of the New Literati movement, Li draws on the classical literati tradition and reinvigorates it with vivid humour and modern flair. His expressive brushwork and candid subject matter—full of food, sensuality, and playful self-portraits—redefine the boundaries of traditional ink painting.

Educated at the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts (BA, 1983), where he later served as Associate Professor, Li Jin has exhibited globally in China, the U.S., Australia, Germany, and beyond. His works are in prestigious collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Seattle Art Museum, National Art Museum of China, Hong Kong Museum of Art, and Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

Indeed, even at their most extravagant, Li Jin's pleasures scenes are tinged with the melancholy of solitude and the unreality of a dream or a memory.