Li Heidi, born in 1997 in Shenyang, China, received a bachelor's degree in art from Chelsea College, London University of Arts, UK in 2020, and a master's degree in painting at the Royal College of Arts, London in 2022.
Li Heidi pays attention on the physical experiences in real life and the duality in social environment. She is constantly exploring the diversity of her internal gender and physical experiences through various forms of art including paintings, sculptures and performance art. While challenging the heterosexual hegemony, she implies the instinct, truth and freedom of desires. Li Heidi has developed an ambiguous and unique language of painting symbols based on her personal growth and emotional experiences. These paintings are often located at the junctions of popular film culture, gender performances and still life traditions.
There is no uniform themes or techniques in Li Heidi's works. The presentation of each work is closely related to the films she saw, books she read and things she cared about at that time. Therefore, her works reflect influences by multiple unrelated factors, such as films, feminism and classical art style, but this is also the reason why her works are diversed, powerful and permissive. The artist is adept at dealing with disordered elements and styles. However, these elements can coexist and achieve internal harmony by manipulating the brushes.
In the past year, she has been fascinated by the concept of "water". The reflection above the water surface, the ripple and the undercurrent surge below the water surface all present different levels of authenticity. The work The reservoir of understanding (2022) with the concept of "water", depicts the intensive conflicts between emotions of the primitive desire of human nature and the rigid society. Li Heidi’s work implies her support for LGBT culture and her questioning of cultural system in a specific context. The painting shows the whole process of suppressing, fighting and releasing desire.