45 Minutes

“45 Minutes” is a series of works presenting different parts of the body of a whale.  Whales are creatures of the open ocean; they feed, mate, give birth, suckle and raise their young at sea.  So extreme is their adaptation to life underwater that they are unable to survive on land.  The blow or spout is one of the most common surface activities known to whales and is a result of breathing.  Whales spend up to 45 minutes underwater and rise to the surface to release air under massive pressure. Li uses whale as a metaphor for the sustainability and rarity of lacquer art.