Biography

LI Shan (b. 1957), who now lives and works in Beijing, is a self-taught female artist whose diverse practice shaped the early avant-garde movement in China. Without official endorsement, LI practised art as a member of the Yuyuantan Lake School of Painting in the 1970s and later joined the No Name (Wuming) Group. During this period, the artist focused on subject matter that she would revisit throughout her practice: courtyards, pagodas, city streets, country roads, architecture, etc, which are also present in her recent works.

 

Her recent solo exhibitions include “Landscape Diaries: LI Shan × No Name Group” (Grisebach Switzerland, Zurich, 2025), “Outside the Window” (Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto, 2024), Solo project of LI Shan (Don Gallery Booth at Paris Internationale, Paris, 2023), “A Red, Red Blossom” (Don Gallery, Shanghai, 2023), "Drawing and Drawing: Heading Out and Bending Down" (Don Gallery, Shanghai, 2021), "LI Shan's List" (STAR Gallery, Beijing, 2021), Solo project of LI Shan (Don Gallery Booth at Art Basel Hong Kong, Hong Kong, 2019), "Fuxing Renaissance" (Don Gallery, Shanghai, 2017), "LI Shan: New and Selected Works" (James Cohan Gallery, Shanghai, 2015), "Works from the 1970s" (James Cohan Gallery, Shanghai, 2014), "Flow" (La Case, Beijing, 2007) and "LI Shan’s Solo Exhibition" (TRA Gallery, Beijing, 2006),etc. Her works are part of the permanent collections of Tate Museum in London, M+ Museum in Hong Kong, and have entered numerous distinguished private collections in China, Australia, Canada, Europe, and the United States.

Works
  • Untitled 无题
    LI Shan 李珊
    Untitled 无题, 1970s
    Oil on cotton gauze and paper 纸上纱布油画
    Framed 有画框
    23.5 × 18 cm
  • Brunfelsia Acuminate(The Cabin in Machhapuchhre, Pokhara, Nepal) 鸳鸯茉莉(尼泊尔博卡拉鱼尾峰小屋)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Brunfelsia Acuminate(The Cabin in Machhapuchhre, Pokhara, Nepal) 鸳鸯茉莉(尼泊尔博卡拉鱼尾峰小屋), 2018
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    Framed 有画框
    21.5 x 29 cm
  • Rape Flowers in the foothills (Balikun Grassland) 油菜花在天山下(巴里坤草原)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Rape Flowers in the foothills (Balikun Grassland) 油菜花在天山下(巴里坤草原), 2021
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    Framed 有画框
    21.5 × 29.5 cm
  • Untitled 无题
    LI Shan 李珊
    Untitled 无题, 2021
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    Framed 有画框
    31 × 23 cm
  • Phalaenopsis 蝴蝶兰
    LI Shan 李珊
    Phalaenopsis 蝴蝶兰, 2022
    Oil on canvas 布上油画
    Framed 有画框
    40 × 50 cm
  • Purple Eustoma (Dufftown, Scotland) 紫色洋桔梗 (苏格兰达夫镇)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Purple Eustoma (Dufftown, Scotland) 紫色洋桔梗 (苏格兰达夫镇), 2022
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    Framed 有画框
    21.6 x 29.8 cm
  • Purple Flowers are Blooming All Over the Mountain (Dufftown, Scotland) 紫花开满山 (苏格兰达夫镇)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Purple Flowers are Blooming All Over the Mountain (Dufftown, Scotland) 紫花开满山 (苏格兰达夫镇), 2022
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    21.7 x 29.7 cm
  • Yulan Magnolias Bloom (Beidaihe River) 玉兰花开 (北戴河)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Yulan Magnolias Bloom (Beidaihe River) 玉兰花开 (北戴河), 1970
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    27 x 19.5 cm
  • Flowers of Sophora Japonica (XiangShan Park) 槐花 (香山公园)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Flowers of Sophora Japonica (XiangShan Park) 槐花 (香山公园), 1970s
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    26 x 28 cm
  • Red Flowers 红花
    LI Shan 李珊
    Red Flowers 红花, 1974
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    19.5 x 13.5 cm
  • Untitled (XiangShan Park) 无题 (香山公园)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Untitled (XiangShan Park) 无题 (香山公园), 1979
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    37 x 25 cm
  • Untitled (ZiXhuyuan Park) 无题 (紫竹院公园)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Untitled (ZiXhuyuan Park) 无题 (紫竹院公园), 1970s
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    Framed 有画框
    19.5 x 27 cm
  • Li Lu 李璐
    LI Shan 李珊
    Li Lu 李璐, 1978
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    54.4 x 39.2 cm
  • Untitled 无题
    LI Shan 李珊
    Untitled 无题, 1970s
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    Framed 有画框
    8.3 x 21.5 cm
  • Purple Flower (Brittany, France) 紫花 (法国布列塔尼)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Purple Flower (Brittany, France) 紫花 (法国布列塔尼), 2015
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    30 x 21.5 cm
  • Furano Ski Resort (Hokkaido) 富良野滑雪场 (北海道)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Furano Ski Resort (Hokkaido) 富良野滑雪场 (北海道), 2016
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    21.5 x 29.5 cm
  • Blackstone Apartments一Balcony 黑石公寓一露台
    LI Shan 李珊
    Blackstone Apartments一Balcony 黑石公寓一露台, 2017
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    29.6 x 21.4 cm
  • Top of the Mountain in Beidahu (Beidahu Ski Resort) 北大湖山顶 (北大湖滑雪场)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Top of the Mountain in Beidahu (Beidahu Ski Resort) 北大湖山顶 (北大湖滑雪场), 2013
    Oil on cardboard 纸板油画
    22.5 x 30 cm
  • The Summer Palace After Snow-3 (The Summer Palace) 颐和园雪后-3 (颐和园公园)
    LI Shan 李珊
    The Summer Palace After Snow-3 (The Summer Palace) 颐和园雪后-3 (颐和园公园), 2015
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    Framed 有画框
    21.5 x 29.5 cm
  • Buddleia and The Telephone Box (Memories about England) 醉鱼草和电话亭(英国记忆)
    LI Shan 李珊
    Buddleia and The Telephone Box (Memories about England) 醉鱼草和电话亭(英国记忆), 2020
    Oil on paper 纸上油画
    31 x 23 cm
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