key words:

nature, philosophy, archaeology,

life and existence, object and subject ,human and nature

My name is Meng Li, a contemporary mixed-media artist and printmaker from Lanzhou, China, currently based in London, UK. My work uses inanimate objects to explore the complex relationship between life and existence, the definitions of object and subject, and the interplay between human society and the natural environment. By using natural materials as a foundation, I create diverse artworks and installations that examine these interconnected themes.

I work with materials such as bones, stones, and soil, which I collect during explorations in nature, including mudlarking along the Thames or visiting sites like Lesnes Abbey Wood fossil park. These objects are photographed, studied under a microscope, or sculpted to examine themes of transformation and impermanence. For example, in one series, I transfer images of these materials onto plywood to create compositions resembling symbolic portrait albums. In another, I craft wax sculptures of the collected objects that melt and reshape, reflecting the different stages and forms of life while questioning the essence of vitality and the liminal boundaries between life and death.

My practice draws inspiration from nature, philosophy, and archaeology to explore humanity’s connection to the natural world. Influenced by Carl Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious and Geoffrey Grigson’s ideas on biomorphic forms, my work seeks to evoke a shared, primal connection to life’s universal truths. I am also inspired by artists like Sam Hodge, who investigates the instability of the material world, as well as Jean Arp, Richard James, and Nadine Baldow.

Through my work, I aim to invite reflection on the meaning of life and the enduring threads that connect humanity to nature and one another, encouraging viewers to reconsider their relationship with the world around them.