Exhibition Dates
14 – 17 April 2026

Daily
1 – 6 pm

Please check instagram for any changes

Qishan Li is a mixed-media visual artist. Her practice engages mainly with moving image, installation and material experimentation. Her practice examines the intricate interplay between bodily experience, perceptual structures, and social contexts, with particular emphasis on the position of the female body within contemporary visual culture and societal frameworks. Through the integration of moving images, everyday objects, and spatial installations, she continually explores how the body is both observed and disciplined on tangible and symbolic levels, whilst simultaneously reclaiming agency within these structures.

In her work, the body functions both as a medium for perceiving the world and as a surface bearing the imprint of social experience. Li’s practice extends to the slower relationships between humanity and nature. Through prolonged observation of tree textures and natural traces, she regards nature as a material archive of time and memory. Her works often dwell in a state between observation and contemplation, guiding viewers to reconsider the shifting relationships between the body, memory, and social structures through subtle bodily gestures and environmental details.

‘SELF IN THE MIRROR’, 2025

This work explores the tension between identity formation, gendered gazes, and societal expectations in fitness culture for women. By transforming gym selfies into coded imagesand transferring them onto mirrors, the project portrays how women in male-dominated fitness spaces reflect on their bodies and challenge traditional gender roles. The gym is not just a place for physical exercise, but also a space filled with gendered gazes and body commodification. Women often face societal pressures and expectations regarding the “ideal” female body, which can conflict with their pursuit of bodily autonomy and strength.

The mirror, altered through digital images, serves not only as a reflective tool but also as a symbol of how women can break free from traditional definitions of gender, strength, and the body. Combined with an open gym bag, the work emphasises how women challenge and transcend gender roles while reshaping their bodies, offering deep reflections on gender, strength, and self-identity.

‘REMEMBERING A TREE’, 2023

This project is a long-term exploration of my daily observations and recordings of trees. By capturing the surface textures of tree bark in everyday life, I aim to experience the passage of time and uncover nature’s memories. The bark and its patterns serve as witnesses to time, carrying the marks of years, environments, and life itself. These textures embody the connection between materiality and the flow of time. I see tree bark as a “memory carrier,” echoing Lévi-Strauss’s idea in The Savage Mind that objects and nature are not independent entities but are deeply intertwined with human experiences and cultural contexts.

Through observing trees, I aim to feel and understand the flow of time, sense the connection between humans and nature, and reflect on how we leave traces of ourselves in a constantly changing world. This project is not just a visual record but also a profound exploration of the relationships between life, time, and nature.