10 Rock Hewn Sculptures Of Water Ripples By Shen LieYi
Chinese contemporary artist Shen LieYi sculpts an illusion of still water out of hard rock. The reflective surface and wet ripples look so liquid that it’s difficult to believe that the whole look is in fact carved out of rough granite.
Having studied sculpting and public arts, LieYi has mastered the skill of “integrating natural and daily elements into the material, space and concept of sculpture arts and turning personal experience into the artistic expression of life insights, and he integrates his plain worship and love of the natural world into the consciousness of life.”
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Image Source: ShenLieYi
#2 The sculpture titled “Silent Water and Flowing Rock” has been permanently collected by Alibaba, Haier Group Corporation, Nanjing Museum and Ui ART Center.
Image Source: ShenLieYi
Embodying the natural fluidity and elegance of water LieYi’s realistic sculptures have attracted international attention. Governments, numerous institutions and global private collectors have shown a keen interest in his series of works including, the “Rain Series”, “Boat”, “SILENT WATER AND FLOWING ROCK”, “Sky Series”, “Seesaw Series” have become beloved favourites and gained a significant following.
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#4 The sculpture “Boat” as a gift artwork from Shanghai Municipal Government to Basel Switzerland, is currently displayed in Basel St. John Park in Switzerland.
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In a statement, Shen Lieyi describes the influences on his art and the emotion he hopes to evoke with his sculptures, “Creation is invariably intertwined with the universe harmoniously. Such as in the Rain series, Shen Lieyi uses rough granite to express the elegance and peace of water is the challenge of fusing two extremes within one medium. This entails a strong visual contrast. In traditional Chinese culture, water symbolizes the principle of yin and softness, while stone symbolizes yang and hardness. One of the rich insights of Daoism is that ‘hardness and softness compensate for each other. Water, as the extremity of softness, moistens all things. Its benefits are inexhaustible, its uses unlimited. Yet ‘too extreme a softness can lead to hardness’. This is how [Shen Lieyi’s] imagery of ‘water’ has arisen. The unification of humanity with nature, or art with life, are goals Shen Lieyi consistently works towards in all his creative acts. Through the Water series, Shen hopes to communicate the serene, liberated and plain state of Chan (or Zen in the better-known Japanese pronunciation). He trusts viewers will sense a hint of this philosophical meditation in his work, and that this will bring their exhausted and constricted minds to some sense of ease, comfort and joy.”
#6 The sculpture “Rain” has been permanently collected by China Embassy, National Museum of China, Zhejiang Art Museum, Nanjing Museum, the China Academy of Art and National Centre for the Performing Arts.
Image Source: ShenLieYi
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