Born in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province in 1961, Li Xiaolin graduated from the Department of Printmaking, CAFA in 1990. He is currently the professor of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA, Deputy Director of the Watercolor Art Committee at the China Artists Association.

Li Xiaolin has cleared the “trap” of the academy as an artist receiving outstanding achievements in the field of drawing and printmaking, his sketching shows freedom from the laws of art, and retains freedom from the laws; with a distinct personality, his drawings reveal his sincere and wise character; calmly and carefully following the principle “Regarding Nature as One’s Teacher Outside and Thinking Spirit as One’s Origin from Inside”, adhering to sketching, carefully and modestly observing and analyzing the objective object, to arouse the enthusiasm, in the curving ups and downs of lines with a transition and change of light and shadow, segmentation and composition of blocks, in the inevitable and accidental, in expected and unexpected effects, heartily expressing his own subjective feeling and pouring out of his own inner emotions (Abstracted from “The Sincere and Wise – On Li Xiaolin’s Sketch” by Shao Dazhen).

We also need to avoid the understanding of the binary opposition of “realism” and “freehand”, to realize the real profound “realistic” painting is essentially “freehand”…Just like Li Xiaolin’s “The Miner”, he no longer expresses the miner from a social role, social morality or moral in the narrative sense, and he considers “the body covered by coal” as “the body covered by black”, changing the noun “coal” to the aesthetic language of “black”, so his understanding and performance of miners no longer stays with the cognition of social identity. Obviously, the so-called “realism” has been very clearly injected with many subjective feelings of the artist (Wang Jian: Imagery of the Reality - Interpretation of Li Xiaolin’s Drawing).

Li Xiaolin’s work showcases people’s problems and difficulties in the real world and his performance is real, concrete and perceptible, therefore it is widely accepted by the audience and society (Liu Chun: Focusing on the Perspective of Living Situation)

I heartily like realistic painting and I don’t believe that this form is outdated. I have always believed only when realistic painting gets rid of reality on the surface, can it achieve the reality of the performance. I try to find and provide a possibility to perform the depth of human nature and the expressive depth of drawing. I always remind myself that to feel things is more important than the novelty on the surface (Li Xiaolin: My View of Painting).

In my opinion, if you want to make a difference to the times, you must have faith and perseverance which ordinary people do not have, and simplicity is the most powerful, while art is ultimately a metaphysical thing, related to the soul, in need of the support of faith and spirit, instead of the walking dead (Li Xiaolin Talks about Teaching and the Creation of Sketch).

It is necessary for drawing to consciously express and discover, whether it is painting itself or expressing the idea or attitude towards society as an artist. The majority of my works are figure paintings, figures are the theme of my performance, and people will be surprised by the shape of character or event that has feeling. I do not draw with a design in mind as motivation appears at any time, but I try to maintain the consistency in my painting language, or even take a step forward from the original base, and I always think that it is uncomfortable to draw the same theme again and again, of course I wish my drawings would be more targeted in the future, have more thinking in addition to language (Li Xiaolin: Using Mind, Thinking and the Soul to Communicate With the Objective World).

The Award-Winning Works

2009 Won the Gold Prize of the 11th National Art Exhibition

2003 Won the “Excellent Prize” in Golden Color Award of China Fine Art

2002 Won the Bronze Prize of the 16th National Print Exhibition

2001 Won the Bronze Prize of the 7th National Etching, Lithograph and Screen Print Exhibition

2000 Won the Bronze Prize of the 15th National Print Exhibition

2000 Won the Award of the 5th National Art Academy Print Teaching Annual Meeting

1999 Won the Excellent Prize of the 9th National Art Exhibition

1999 Won the “Lu Xun Print Prize” of the China Printmakers Association

1998 Won the Bronze Prize of the 14th National Print Exhibition

1997 Won the “Liao Xiuping Print Prize” of the 6th National Etching, Lithograph and Screen Print Exhibition

1996 Won the Silver Prize of the 13th National Print Exhibition

1995 Won the Silver Prize of the 7th International Biennial of Print and Drawing Exhibition, Taiwan

1994 Won the Bronze Prize of the 12th National Print Exhibition

1994 Won the Excellent Work Prize of the 8th National Art Exhibition

1992 Won the Silver Prize of the 11th National Print Exhibition

1990 Won the Creation Prize of the National Youth Print Exhibition

1990 Won the Bronze Prize of the 10th National Print Exhibition

1984 Won the Excellent Work Prize of the 6th National Art Exhibition

1982 Won the Excellent Work Prize of the 8th National Print Exhibition

The Works Participating Exhibitions

2009 Guanlan International Print Biennial

2009 The 9th National Etching, Lithograph and Screen Print Exhibition

2009 “The Elegance and Talent of Print” Group Exhibition of the Teachers of CAFA and National Taiwan university of Arts

2008 Asia-Pacific International Print Invitational Exhibition and Academic Symposium

2008 The 2nd Chinese Contemporary Academy Print Invitational Exhibition, Shenzhen

2008 Olympic Fine Art Exhibition

2008 Mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Hainan Contemporary Painting Exhibition (China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the People's Government of Hainan)

2008 Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition, Berlin, Germany

2008 Taiwan International Exhibition of Miniature Print and Drawing

2008 Exhibition of the Teachers to Celebrate the 80th Anniversary of CAFA

2007 Le Salon d'Automne, France

2006 The 12th International Biennial of Print and Drawing Exhibition, Taiwan

2006 Lahore International Print Invitational Exhibition

2006 The First International Print Art Exhibition by MAAPS

2005 “Form and Expansion” Exchange Painting Exhibition for the Department of Printmaking, CAFA - Nagoya University, Japan

2004 The 10th National Art Exhibition

2003 Today China Art Exhibition

2003 Trace of Feeling - Chinese Contemporary Print Exhibition, South Africa – Lesotho - Namibia – Mauritius

2003 The First Beijing International Art Biennale, China – Exhibition of the Teachers from 10 Academies of Fine Arts in China

2002 “Inheritance and Development” Invitational Exhibition of Chinese Burgeoning Print

2002 Sino-Japanese Well-Known Printmakers Work Exhibition & Academic Exhibition

2002 Plastic Arts in China, Egypt

2001 Qingdao International Print Exhibition, China

2001 “Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong Print Exchange Exhibition”, Xi’an

2001 “Expansion and Extension” Shanghai Invitational Print Exhibition

2001 The 2nd Bridge Sino-Japan Print Exhibition

2001 China Art College Invitational Exhibition of Selected Sketched Art

2001 “One Hundred Years of Chinese Print Exhibition”, Chongqing

2001 Exhibition of the Teachers of the Department of Printmaking, CAFA

2000 International Print Invitational Exhibition, Japanese Print Association

2000 International Print Invitational Exhibition, National Taiwan Arts Education Center

2000 Open• Fusion - Macau International Print Invitational Exhibition

1999 Chinese Contemporary Print Exhibition, Qingdao

1999 “Contemporary Chinese Print Exhibition”, Seton Hall University, The United States

1999 “Chinese Contemporary Print Exhibition, Madrid, Spain

1999 “6 + 6 = Prints” Exhibition, 456 Gallery, Manhattan, The United States

1998 Nagoya International Print Exhibition, Japan

1998 Chinese Contemporary Print Exhibition, Spain

1998 Department of Printmaking, CAFA Print Exhibition, Australia

1997 China Art Exhibition - Chinese Contemporary Print Exhibition

1993 The 5th National Etching, Lithograph and Screen Print Exhibition

1992 The 5th International Print Biennial, Taiwan

1992 “Chinese Lithograph Exhibition, Hong Kong Art Centre

1991 Beijing - Taipei Contemporary Print Exhibition

1991 Osaka International Print Triennial of Plastic Art, Japan

1991 Chinese Modern Print Exhibition, the United States, Italy

1991 Gansu - Chinese Contemporary Print Boutique Invitational Exhibition

1989 The 7th National Art Exhibition

1988 Print Exhibition of the Youth from Mainland China, Taiwan

Group Exhibitions

2014 “Colorful Yunnan” National Art Exhibition

2014 The First China Print Exhibition

2013 “Art Phoenix” Chinese Oil Painting Invitational Exhibition

2013 “Entering with a Single Sword – the Research of the Directness of Print Creation” the Thematic Exhibition of the 4th Guanlan International Print Biennial

2013 Exhibition of the Selected Sketches of the Chinese Civilization 5000 Years Historical Subject Project

2013 “The Great Beauty of Sichuan” National Invitational Art Exhibition

2013 “The Warmth on Paper - A Contemporary Print Exhibition” (Canada, China, South Korea, the United States)

2013 The 4th Hangzhou International Nominated Exhibition of Excellent Contemporary Watercolor Painters, China

2013 “In the Scene of the Era”, National Sketch Art Exhibition

2013 Xinjiang International Print Invitational Exhibition

2013 “Chinese Contemporary Print Invitational Exhibition”, Hebei

2013 The10th China Art Festival - National Excellent Art Exhibition

2012 The 5th Beijing International Art Biennale, China

2012 “‘Splendid China’ – Chinese Fine Arts Marching in the New Century”, China Art Museum, Shanghai

2012 Invited Exhibition to Celebrate the Anniversary of China National Academy of Painting

2012 Chinese Academy of Oil Painting Exhibition of Sketches in France, China Cultural Center, Paris

2012 The National Art Exhibition to Commemorate the 70th Anniversary of “Chairman Mao’s Speech at the Forum of Art and Literature in Yan’an”

2012 “The World Trip of Chinese Fine Arts - Chinese Contemporary Art Exhibition”, Berlin, Germany

2012 The First Lingshi International Print Exhibition

2011 Art Exhibition to Commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet

2011 Academy Force – Exhibition of Contemporary Fine Arts of the Central Academy of Fine Arts

2011 Far Apart from Each Other – Chinese Fine Arts Exhibition

2010 The 4th Beijing International Art Biennale, China

2010 Plastic – Exhibition of the Teachers of the Department of Plastic Arts, CAFA

2010 Sunshine Xinjiang – Exhibition of the Sketch

2010 Central Academy of Fine Arts 60 Years of Drawing

2009 “Landscape” Modern Art Exhibition hosted by Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music

2009 “New China Fine Art 60 Years”, National Art Museum of China

2009 The 11th National Art Exhibition

Solo Exhibitions

2014 “Face & Looks” Exhibition, Shandong Dacheng Art Gallery

2012 “Li Xiaolin Work Exhibition”, Art Sanya, China

2012 “Mysterious Eyes - Li Xiaolin Work Exhibition”, Xinhua Degas Gallery, Shangxi Province

2011 “Li Xiaolin Work Exhibition”, Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts

2009 “Li Xiaolin Work Exhibition”, Art Museum of Guangxi Arts Institute

2008 “Li Xiaolin Drawing Exhibition”, CAFA Art Museum

2008 “True Face – Li Xiaolin Sketch Work Exhibition”, Art Museum of Lu Xun Academy of Fine Arts

2008 “True Face – Li Xiaolin Work Exhibition”, Jinbaozhai, Shanxi Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles

2007 “Li Xiaolin’s Paper Work Exhibition”, cite internationale des arts, Paris

Personal Publications

2014 “Face – Looks – Li Xiaolin’s Works”, Hubei Fine Arts Publishing House

2008 “Li Xiaolin’s Handbook of Sketch”, Shanxi People’s Publishing House

2007 “Li Xiaolin’s Drawing of Portrait”, Jilin Fine Arts Publishing House

2007 “Li Xiaolin’s Drawing of Human Body”, Jilin Fine Arts Publishing House

2006 “Li Xiaolin’s Instance of Figure Drawing”, China Ethnic Photographic Art Press

2006 “Li Xiaolin’s Instance of Figure Drawing”, China Ethnic Photographic Art Press

2006 “Li Xiaolin’s Sketch”, Jilin Fine Arts Publishing House

2005 “Famous Teacher’s Review on Excellent Work by the Students from Famous School – Drawing”, Tianjin People’s Fine Arts Publishing House 2005 “New Painting Style – Li Xiaolin’s Sketches”, Hebei Fine Arts Publishing House

2004 “Selected Drawing Copies by the Teachers of National Art Academies – Li Xiaolin’s Drawing”, Tianjin Yangliuqing Fine Arts Press

2003 “The Course of Famous Teacher – the Bust of Drawing”, Hubei Fine Arts Publishing House

2002 “Demonstration of Sketch”, Guangxi Science and Technology Press

2001 Li Xiaolin’s Sketch, Shanxi People’s Publishing House

2000 “Contemporary Young Artists Drawing – Li Xiaolin’s Drawing”, Hubei Fine Arts Publishing House

Joint Publications

2009 “Collection of the Flourishing Age – Volume of Print”, Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House

2009 “China Art 60 Years” –Volume of Print”, China Fine Arts Publishing House

2009 “Fine Art of New China 60 Years”, Ministry of Culture, People's Fine Arts Publishing House

2009 “The Glorious Flowers in Spring and Solid Fruits in Autumn – 1949-2009 Prints of the People’s Republic of China, Hunan Fine Arts Publishing House

2009 “Chinese Print 60 Years”, China Artists Association, Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House

2008 “Selected Work by the Famous Painter – Drawing of the Famous Contemporary Artist”, Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House

2003 “Chinese Print 100 Years”, Sichuan Fine Arts Publishing House

2002 “Chinese Modern Art Collection – Volume of Print”, Zhejiang People’s Publishing House

1998 “Chinese Modern Art Collection – Volume of Print”, People’s Fine Arts Publishing House

Work Collections

His works are collected by National Art Museum of China, China Art Museum, Shanghai, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taiwan, Hong Kong Arts Center, the University of Sydney, the Yellow River Museum, Shenzhen Art Museum, Shanxi Museum, Lu Xun Museum, China Exhibition & Communication Center, Jiangsu Art Museum, Beijing Artists Association, Liao Xiuping Prints Foundation, Sichuan Shenzhou Museum of Print, Qingdao Art Museum, Art Museum of Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, Development Research Center of the State Council, Guangdong Museum of Art, Anhui Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, CAFA Art Museum, the Palace Museum, etc.

Translated by Chen Peihua and edited by Sue/CAFA ART INFO.