Lee Su-jin

2012

Li Su-Jing's "Chicken" sculpted from ceramic clay and glazed embodies a surreal creature that transcends realistic forms. It serves as a symbol of a chicken while also possessing a certain fantastical metamorphosis. The exaggerated wings, radiating lines, and vivid color contrasts create an unstable motion, as if this "chicken" is flapping its wings to fly, yet carries a sense of humor and absurdity. This approach gives the work a sense of childlike wonder, infused with an almost expressionist wild energy, challenging our habitual perceptions of the chicken image.

On a technical level, Li Su-Jing leverages the fluidity of glazes and the textural effects achieved through high-temperature firing, resulting in a surface that radiates rich luster and layered variations. The yellow body contrasted with black and red imparts a certain primal totemic visual tension. The depiction of the eyes is particularly striking; the round form paired with black-and-white contrast suggests a sense of astonishment or playfulness, making the piece not merely a static sculpture but an emotional projection.

Li Su-Jing's works often center around childlike innocence and humanitarian concerns, and "Chicken" is no exception. This transformed chicken may metaphorically represent the resilience of life on Taiwanese soil or humorously subvert traditional imagery. Through transformation and the use of glaze, the artist elevates this work beyond a mere animal sculpture, transforming it into an artistic language rich in symbolic meaning, opening a dialogue on life and reality between the absurd and the poetic.

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