Zheng Li is a painter from China and was QUAD’s first artist in residence in QUAD Artists Studio during May-July 2009. The work he created during this period was then exhibited in QUAD Gallery from July to early September 2009.

Although Zheng Li studied traditional European oil painting, for this work he revisited traditional Chinese techniques through muted colour and unique materials. Inspired by his father, also a painter and his first teacher, his work abstracts the colours and techniques of Chinese traditional painting to explore ideas of culture, humanity and race. Often featuring babies, old before their time and genderless, reacting to the current social context – they reflect on and watch the world.

Born in Chongqing China. Zheng Li has a degree in Oil Painting, has exhibited at San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art and all across China. He works as a teacher in Sichuan Fine Arts Institute situated in the west suburb of Chongqing; a huge yet beautiful mountain city in Southwest China beside the Yangtze River

During Zheng Li’s artist in residence period, he held various open studio events and an artist’s talk.