“Light Makeup, Graceful Beauty” — A Selected Exhibition by Li-Hui ZHAO & Jie-LI
The Timeless Poise of Ancient Murals Meets the Quiet Grace of Contemporary Ink
7-August-2025
30-August-2025
"Light Makeup · Graceful Beauty"
Not only does it reflect a classical charm — youthful, delicate, and enchanting — but it also embodies a gentle force that transcends time, one that can only be understood through a quiet and contemplative heart.
At Kai’s Gallery, we approach every curatorial collaboration with profound respect. Each invited artist is someone whose work has deeply moved us — whether through the depth of their creative language or a shared resonance in values and vision.
For our August exhibition, we are honored to present two distinguished creators whose work exemplifies both academic rigor and artistic excellence: Li-Hui ZHAO, Director of the Dunhuang Mural Research Institute of China, and Dr. Jie-LI, renowned scholar and artist from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute.
Though they come from different artistic contexts, both artists share a fundamental belief: Painting is like architecture — without a solid foundation, one cannot build anything of lasting value.
To them, the roots of creation — technical skill, conceptual integrity, and cultural depth — cannot be hastily acquired or bypassed. Their decades-long dedication to both academic research and artistic practice has made them pillars in the contemporary Chinese art scene.
Li-Hui ZHAO — A Life Among Caves, the Translator of Murals
Recognized as one of the foremost experts by the Dunhuang Mural Research Institute, Zhao Lihui has devoted over 40 years to fieldwork across major cave temples in China — a life that echoes the quiet devotion of ancient mural monks.
Through his deep study of traditional techniques, mineral pigments, and the intricate processes behind Tang and Song dynasty mural-making, he has worked tirelessly to restore and revive the visual language of early Chinese civilization.
In China, he is celebrated as “The Translator of Murals”. At the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts, he is known as a “Walking Dunhuang Grotto” — a living embodiment of ancient wall painting.
Dr. Jie-LI — Purifying the Language of Contemporary Ink
Dr. Li Jie has long explored the interplay between multimedia materials and ink traditions, particularly within the realm of gongbi (meticulous brushwork).
Employing minerals like fluorite, quartz, mineral pigments, silver foil, iron oxide, and even spray paint, he blends them with refined brushwork. Yet rather than overwhelm, he consciously strips away excess in composition to pursue a purified, minimalist visual language.
His works delve into profound reflections on personal experience and societal structures, transforming these insights into philosophical visual expressions — contemporary symbols that are deeply distinctive.
His pioneering approach has earned the recognition of Rong Bao Zhai, one of the most esteemed institutions in Chinese ink painting, who view his work as a significant breakthrough within the traditional ink discourse.
A Return to Foundations: A Dialogue Between Past and Present
To curate an exhibition in Taiwan that returns to the very foundations of art is no simple task.
We do not have mural caves, nor the vast natural resources of the mainland — but could we respond with greater intentionality, reverence, and clarity?
Kai’s Gallery sincerely invites you to witness this rare encounter — a distilled moment of quiet power, where the deep roots of tradition meet the expressive force of contemporary vision.
More than just an exhibition, this is a meditative and profound dialogue — a spiritual architecture that spans classical aesthetics and modern expression.
▍Exhibition Dates:
August 7 (Thu.) – August 30 (Sat.), 2025
▍Opening Hours:
10:00–12:00 / 13:00–18:00 (Closed on Sundays and Mondays)
▍Venue:
KAI’S Gallery
1F, No.7, Lane 16, Songjiang Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan