Li Wei-han Rosanna

Hong Kong

Introduction

Rosanna Li Wei-han is a Hong Kong ceramicist and design educator, well known for her "signature ceramic fat ladies" sculptures having a certain rustic charm. Depicting the sense of contentment and vitality of simple folk, her works are often filled with wit and humour, reflecting her keen observation and sensitivity to people and events in the community.

Li studied ceramics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic, and then pursued her undergraduate studies in Art Education at the University of Liverpool. She later earned a Diploma in Art Education from the University of London Institute of Education, a Master’s Degree in Educational Management from the Cheltenham & Gloucester College and a Master’s Degree in Cultural Studies from Lingnan University. From 1990 to 2010 she taught at the School of Design at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and worked there as a visiting lecturer from 2010-2016. In 2016, she was a participant of the Shigaraki Cultural Ceramics Park Artist-in-Residence Programme of Shigaraki, Japan.

She is a Museum Expert Advisor of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and a founding member and former chairperson of the Contemporary Ceramics Society (HK). Since 1983, Li has held 15 solo exhibitions and participated in more than 170 group exhibitions. Her works are widely exhibited in Hong Kong, Macau, and the Mainland (including Xian, Beijing, Shanghai, Jingdezhen, Hangzhou, Foshan, and Guangzhou), and overseas (including Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Mongolia, Australia, Canada, USA, France, and UK). Her work can be found in many public spaces in Hong Kong amd the collections of major museums such as the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Guangdong Museum of Art, the Shiwan Ceramic Museum, the Zhejiang Museum of Art, and the New Taipei City Yingge Ceramics Museum.

Among Li’s many awards are the 1985 Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award in Ceramics; the 1999 Sculptor of the Year Award; the 2005 Commendation Medal for Achievements in the Promotion of Arts and Culture from the Secretary for Home Affairs; and the 2013 Hong Kong Federation of Women “Hong Kong Women of Excellence in the Six Arts Award” in Visual Arts (Sculpture/Ceramics). She was a finalist of the 2016 Sovereign Asian Art Prize Competition, and was awarded Hong Kong Artist of the Year (Visual Arts) at the 14th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards.

BIOGRAPHY

1981 (Post-grad) Diploma in Art Education, University of London Institution of Education, UK

1983 Higher Certificate in Studio Ceramic, HK Polytechnic, Hong Kong
1986 B.Ed., University of Liverpool, UK

1989 MA in Educational Management, Gloucester and Cheltenham College of Higher Education, UK

1990-2010 MA in Cultural Studies, Lingnam University, Hong Kong

1990-2010 Assistant Professor, School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

1992 Founding member, Contemporary Ceramic Society, Hong Kong, and later Chair-person
1996 Artist in Residency, International Workshop of Ceramics, Tokoname, Japan
2007 Master’s Degree in Cultural Studies, Lingnan University, Hong Kong
Published monograph Woman to Love, Man to Quit, MCCM Creations, Hong Kong

2010-2016 Part-time visiting lecturer, School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong

Member, Art Museum Advisory Panel, Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong
2016 Artist in Residency, Shigaraki Cultural Park, Shigaraki, Japan

2019 Our Stories: Memoriesin Clay, a project organised by St. James’ Settlement, Hong Kong
2020 Awarded Artist of the Year, Hong Kong Arts Development Council, Hong Kong
Speaker, Summer Talk Series: Hong Kong Women Artists, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

Present Expert Museum Adviser (Hong Kong Art), Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2018 Happiness in The Making: An Exhibition of Works by Rosanna Li Wei-han, Lee Shau Kee Library, Hong Kong University of Science & Technology, Hong Kong

2013 Men and Women‧This and Less: Works by Li Wei Han, Rosanna, Singing Waves Gallery, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Mindless Mindfulness: Works of Li Wei Han Rosanna • Ceramics and Installations, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre; Olympian City 2, Hong Kong

2011 Café Acrobatic: An Exhibition of Ceramic Works by Rosanna Li Wei-han, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

2002 Easy Easy, Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

2000 Terraces Topography: Yu Lan Festival, Para/Site, Hong Kong

1999 The Unbearable Loneliness of Being, Pottery Workshop, Hong Kong

1997 Hong Kong Artists Series: Li Wei-han • Muddle Muddles, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2020 Uniquely Hong Kong: A Celebration of Hong Kong Art, Alisan Fine Arts, Hong Kong

2019-2020 Beyond in Classics Remix: The Hong Kong Viewpoint, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

2018-2019 Hello! in Claylaboration: Contemporary Ceramic Exhibition, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong
2018 Join Fotan‧ A Date With Fotan: Fotan Masters’ Art Exhibition, Fotan, Hong Kong
The Paddock III: Posted, from Sydney to New York, to Paris, to Johannesburg, to Hong Kong, and …., Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong
Craft Ingenuity. Art Mastery, 23 Art Space; The Woodshed, Lingnan Tiandi, Foshan, China
One More Take: Passing The Torch, In Celebration of Mr. Chan Ping Tim’s Teaching, L1 Gallery, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Contemporary Female Artists Exhibition 2018 St. Petersburg Russia, Diaghilev Museum of Modern Art, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia

3rd Guangdong Contemporary Ceramic Art Exhibition, Art Museum of Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, Guangzhou , China

2017　Reunion, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

Art Interaction • Hong Kong @ Taiwan: Artmatch 22th Annual Exhibition, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Taiwan International Art Exchange Exhibition: Yunlin Art Together, Xiluo Cultural Museum, Taiwan

Holy Goods, Johann Jacobs Museum, Zurich, Switzerland

Encounter: Exhibition of the Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong, Hotel Stage, Hong Kong

Students & Teachers Visual Arts Exhibition • Creative Life: Hong Kong Visual Arts Education Festival 2016, Hong Kong City Hall, Hong Kong

Sovereign Asian Art Prize Exhibition, The Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Cancer Fund Charity Auction Exhibition, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

Taiwan International Art Exchange Exhibition: Yunlin Art Together, Exhibition Hall, Cultural Affairs Department of Yunlin County Government, Taiwan

2015 Supermarket of the Dead, Royal Palace, Dresden, Germany

The Past is Continuing, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong

Art‧Express Yourself, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
2014 Shin-Chuan: 2014 International Ceramics Exhibition, Northern Miaoli Art Centre, Miaoli, Taiwan

Hong Kong International Tea Fair, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

The Wind Shifts Dialogues with Hong Kong Artists, chi art space, Hong Kong

Our World: Now and Then, Gruenwald Press, California, USA

28th Asian International Art Exhibition, Kinmem Culture Park Historical Folk Museum, Kinmem , Taiwan

Long Time No See: Victoria, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong

2013 A Date With Chinese Tea, The Flagstaff House Museum of Tea Ware, Hong Kong

Art Meet 2013: An Exhibition Of Artwork, Artland, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Graphic Art Fiesta 2013: Collaborative Printmaking, Hong Kong Heritage Museum, Hong Kong

Of Human Conditions Group Exhibition, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Hi 60’s Installation Project, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

Inspire: Hong Kong Contemporary Art Exhibition & Hong Kong Cancer Fund Charity Auction, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

1+1 Contemporary Ceramic Society Hong Kong: 20th Anniversary Exhibition, Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Contemporary Ceramic Art in Asia, 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa; Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum, Aichi, Japan

2006 Cruel / Loving Bodies 2, Hong Kong Arts Centre; Goethe-Institut, Hong Kong
21st Asian International Art Exhibition (Hong Kong), Singapore Art Museum, Singapore

2003-04 Searching for Clues, Griffith University Art Gallery, Brisbane, Australia；Artists Image Resource, Pittsburgh, USA; Espace Accattone, Paris, France; Fringe Club；Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

2002 Lost And Found: An International Group Exhibition, Fringe Club, Hong Kong
The 16th Asian International Art Exhibition: The Asian Multicultural Value (Hong Kong), Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China
2001 Hong Kong: New Vision, Rotunda, Exchange Square, Hong Kong

2000 Contemporary Hong Kong Art, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

Hello, Kal-fong!, Para/Site, Hong Kong

Under the Bed, Fringe Club, Hong Kong

Clay - Form - Content - Contemporary Ceramic Society Joint Exhibition, Hong Kong Institute of Education; Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

The Soul of Clay: The 2nd Academic Invitational Exhibition of Chinese Contemporary Young Ceramists, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

China Contemporary Young Ceramic Artists Biennale Exhibition 2000, the Academy of Fine Art, Hangzhou, China

Tsinghua University International Ceramics Art Exhibition, National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China

Contemporary Chinese and Hong Kong Ceramics Exchange Exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Center and Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

1999 14th Asian International Art Exhibition of the Federation of Asian Artists, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka City, Japan; Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Small Scale Sculpture 1999-2000: Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, IT Park Taipei, Taiwan; Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1998 Works by Hong Kong Art Teachers, University Museum and Art Gallery, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Education Open Day 1998 Art Exhibition, Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong

1997 Miraculous Colour: Raku Ceramics Exhibition, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Out of the Fire Ill, Hong Kong Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Reunion and Vision: Contemporary Hong Kong Art 1997, Hong Kong Museum of Art, Hong Kong

Where Creativity Meets: A celebration in Art, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Art 1997, National Art Museum of China, Beijing; Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

1996 The International Workshop of Ceramic Art, Tokoname, Japan

New horizon in Art Installation, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Ceramics 1985-95, Hong Kong Visual Arts Centre, Hong Kong

1995 Hong Kong Ceramic Art Exhibition, Tsuen Wan Town Hall, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Art Trend, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong

Woman Artists in Celebration of the United Nations Women’s Conference in Hong Kong, Asian Fine Arts, Hong Kong

Art Asia 1995, Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong
1994 Clayworks: The First Exhibition By The Contemporary Ceramics Society (HK), Fung Ping Shan Museum, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

SELECTED PUBLIC ART PROJECTS

2005 MTR: People Passing By, People Lazing By, MTR Yau Tong Station; Hong Kong MTR Corporation, Hong Kong

2014 Heaven, Earth and Man: A Hong Kong Art Exhibition, Art Square Salisbury Garden; Hong Kong Leisure and Cultural Services Department, Hong Kong

2013 Triple Happiness: 3 couples, Lee Tung Avenue, Hong Kong

SELECTED AWARDS

2020 Hong Kong Artist of the Year Award (Visual Arts) at the 14th Hong Kong Arts Development Awards, Hong Kong

2016 Finalist, Asian Art Prize, Sovereign Art Foundation

2015 Secretary for Home Affairs Commendation Medal (Achievements in the Promotion of Arts and Culture), Home Affairs Bureau, Hong Kong

2013 Hong Kong Women of Excellence in the Six Arts Award, (Visual Arts - Sculpture/Ceramics), Hong Kong Federation of Women, Hong Kong

2000 Silver Award in Ceramics, Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China

1999 Artist of the Year (Sculpture), Hong Kong Artists’ Guild, Hong Kong

1985 Hong Kong Urban Council Fine Art Award (Ceramics), Hong Kong

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

Zhejiang Art Museum, Hangzhou, China

Guangdong Museum of Art, Guangzhou, China