Li Jin

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About the artwork

Translation of the Text Vertical inscription (top left): 李津写画 – Painted and written by Li Jin Title: 巴厘岛之灵 – Spirit of Bali 巴厘岛之灵 (Spirit of Bali), this elegant work distils life into a single, quietly animated fish suspended within open space. Rendered with minimal yet expressive brushwork, the fish appears both grounded and weightless, its form emerging gently from the pale surface. Subtle washes and restrained lines convey a sense of calm awareness rather than motion, evoking balance, intuition, and inner vitality. The simplicity of the composition mirrors the spiritual clarity often associated with Bali—where nature, ritual, and daily life intertwine. Through economy of form and sensitivity of ink, Li Jin transforms a humble subject into a meditative symbol of place, spirit, and quiet presence.

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.