Li Yuan-chia

Li Yuan-chia (1929–1994), a pioneer of Chinese abstraction, blended Zen philosophy with the avant-garde.
Born in Southern China, Li Yuan-chia studied art in Taiwan, where he became one of the co-founders of the Ton Fan Group.

In 1957, the entrepreneur Dino Gavina was so fascinated by some of Li’s works exhibited in a Milanese gallery that he declared the artist’s presence in Italy “indispensable to his business.”

A few years later, Li showed up at Gavina’s showroom in San Lazzaro. Though initially surprised, Gavina was delighted to welcome and host him, supporting his artistic career in Italy and involving him in major exhibitions.

In the mid-1960s, Li Yuan-chia moved to the United Kingdom, where he continued to develop the concept of the “Cosmic Point” (the beginning and end of everything) and founded the LYC Museum in Cumbria, leaving an indelible mark on participatory art.