Humble roots

Li's paintings have been shown on every continent (except for Antarctica) and in most major cities, including New York, London and Cape Town. Still, Li stays true to his roots. Many of his paintings depict children in the Chinese countryside; some are tender portrayals of siblings taking care of each other. Li said he had to paint pictures of siblings from his own childhood memories in Hunan, before the one-child policy was instituted. "The countryside is the closest to my heart," he said.

Li also remains loyal to his master, Hsing Yun. One of his most famous paintings, Nanjing Massacre (1992), was commissioned by Hsing, who's father disappeared the day of the Nanjing Massacre, when Japanese soldiers killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians on December 13, 1937 in Nanjing. The family was never able to find him. Though Nanjing Massacre is one of Li's few dark paintings, it is still hopeful. At the top of a mountain of dead bodies is a small child, still alive and crying. "There is always someone left who grows up," said Li. The massive painting is simultaneously disturbing and captivating. "The massacre was against human nature," said Li. "That's why it has so much power." Li always insists that this painting should be displayed in his exhibitions; his steadfastness in this decision led to one exhibition in Japan to be cancelled, where critics believed it was too controversial to show.