By Cao Xiwa
Recently, Li Tiejun’s artwork Stage: Confrontation of Zhong Kui won the Gold Award at the Oriental Dawn International Jury of the Official Special Invitational Exhibition of the 61st Venice Biennale 2026.
Created by artist Li Tiejun, the piece measures 240×240 cm and adopts mixed media techniques. Its creative process is sophisticated and avant-garde, integrating conceptual expression, auxiliary machinery, traditional woodcutting, hand colouring, political slogans, classical pictorial patterns, stage symbolic language, images of authentic and counterfeit Zhong Kui, imp figures, English characters, and Chinese seals. It bears the signature: Li Tiejun 2026. The background is silver, with dominant contrasting hues of crimson red, silk yellow and bluish black. Brushstrokes feature wood grain textures, bold thick lines and bulky Zhong Kui boots. The genuine Zhong Kui wears bluish-black trousers, while the impostor Zhong Kui wears silk-yellow trousers.
The artist employs the restrained, plain aesthetic language of traditional woodcuts, paired with modern mechanical backdrop structures. The work depicts ideological divisions across the globe, hesitant and ambiguous public judgements, and how democratic freedom has been hijacked by ongoing regional conflicts, resembling clashes between celestial beings while ordinary people bear the brunt of suffering. Against this backdrop lies the swift development yet existential emptiness of modern media technology.
The title of the work carries profound implications. The word “Stage” instantly places viewers into a theatrical scene, while “Confrontation” grounds them back to the painting itself. This dual structure of stage and painting embodies the multiplicity, complexity and experimental nature of virtual and reality intertwined installation and performance art, defining the true contemporaneity of the artwork.
More importantly lies the historical significance of the artist himself. Appreciating an artist’s creations cannot be separated from historical context. Works from a single creative period are interconnected, individual yet universal, all revolving around an overarching thematic narrative. For years, Li Tiejun has centered his performance art around the theme of Fog. What exactly does this fog symbolise? Political fog, ideological left-wing and right-wing fog, economic fog, wartime fog, natural fog, emotional fog, ethnic fog, national fog, global fog, poverty fog, wealth fog, bureaucratic fog, corruption fog, artistic fog, daily fog, present-day fog, future fog… Life itself is intricate, and this artwork mirrors such profound complexity, far beyond simple summarisation. This is the postmodern essence of postmodern art. It differs from simplistic revolutionary narratives and straightforward romantic sentiments of agricultural civilisation, rejecting rigid absolute loyalty. The confrontation depicted demands delicate balance. Emotions clash among citizens, elites, capitalists and politicians worldwide. Scientists, Silicon Valley and artificial intelligence bring unprecedented challenges; unemployment stands opposed to intelligent robots, and capital conflicts with human labour. Artists face trials not only from life, art and technology, but also from an uncertain future.
German philosopher Nietzsche proclaimed God is dead.
French philosopher Sartre stated Hell is other people.
French philosopher Descartes declared I think, therefore I am.
British philosopher Wittgenstein argued Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.
Chairperson Mao Zedong emphasised Never forget class struggle.
All these philosophical remarks belonged to their respective eras, things of the past. What shall humanity do now?
As an artist, one inevitably speaks on behalf of a certain social class. Though thinking independently, an artist never stands alone. Otherwise, they cannot be regarded as a genuine artist. This reflects the timeliness of artistic creation. Even the purest aesthetic expression combines individuality with the spirit of the times.
In an era of open knowledge, artists are continuously inspired by philosophers and scientific pioneers, with wisdom enlightening one another mutually.
For a great artist, even if divinity appears before them, they will still engage in individual dialogue and confrontation, questioning its authenticity. Authority has lost its absolute dominance; everything undergoes disenchantment. This is no longer an era of monotheism. Globalisation has long fractured and fragmented. There is no saviour. Everyone must rely on themselves, think independently, and never forget their own identity.
Li Tiejun exhibited an English version of this artwork at Venice, alongside a video documenting its creation process. One version bears the Chinese slogan: Down with Hegemonic Imperialism. The artist often refers to it simply as Down with Imperialism. A slogan from past eras when politics took absolute precedence, today’s world is far more intricate. Regardless of ideological differences, regional and international cooperation rely on universal rules, yet every nation upholds its own national and ethnic interests, all subject to negotiation. Struggle persists in this age, yet it is no longer simplistic political or economic rivalry. A delicate balance must be maintained. People retain firm positions, sincere emotions, and distinct likes and dislikes. Even pure artistic creation must adapt to diverse national cultures and conditions. Such is the dilemma faced by contemporary artists. Everything evolves, everything remains uncertain. Yet truth remains truth, justice remains justice, peace remains peace, and freedom remains freedom. Artists must uphold these principles unwaveringly.
John Rawls, American political philosopher, proposed the Veil of Ignorance in A Theory of Justice, offering great insight for modern society. Imagine people form social rules blindfolded, unaware whether they will be rich or poor, intelligent or disadvantaged in life. To achieve fairness, they will establish regulations that safeguard the most vulnerable groups. This formed his two principles of justice: equal fundamental freedom for all people, and equal opportunity for all positions.
Despite such ideals, widespread inequality endures across the world. Therefore, artists must always safeguard justice, freedom and openness. When organisations or individuals violate these fundamental principles, artists must dare to confront and voice objections openly, and never turn a blind eye. From this perspective, we fully understand why Li Tiejun’s Stage: Confrontation of Zhong Kui won its award so deservedly. On the global stage, artists should emulate Zhong Kui, bravely confronting injustice, speaking out boldly, and cherishing the platform granted by art.
In the internet age, artists debate global, regional and national identities. With rapid AI advancement, human nature and its divine qualities clash inevitably with the future, just as the true Zhong Kui confronts his fake counterpart. Countless individual identities and confrontations emerge. Whether abstract or universal, these challenges are unavoidable. Artists today face far more complicated trials than ordinary real-life struggles.
Written at Yueya Palace, Beijing, June 22, 2026
