[Invisible Forces Shape the World] Interview with Mengxuan Li
Mengxuan Li Solo Exhibition "Comet" will be held at Picaresque Gallery from Wednesday, July 30 to Sunday, August 10, 2025.
In this interview, we spoke with Mengxuan Li about herself, her creative process, and the works being exhibited this time. We hope you enjoy it.
Please introduce yourself.
Hello, I am illustrator Mengxuan Li.
After graduating from an art university in Hiroshima, I have been working at a game company while also creating my own illustrations.
I am currently based in Tokyo. I love nature and often use landscapes and plants as motifs in my work.
I am involved in illustration work across various fields, including concept art for animation and games, as well as cover art for magazines and books.
Could you tell us how the worldview of your current work came to be?
I enjoy observing the various things I encounter in daily life and using them to spark inspiration and imagination.
By gently adding the small characters I draw into those scenes, the world of the story gradually expands.
These characters were born from moments in daily life or fleeting emotions, and they exist somewhere between reality and fantasy.
Small fragments like these gather together to form the worldview of my current work.
Why do you use the materials you currently work with?
I usually create digitally, primarily using Photoshop.
Digital tools are very convenient and easy to handle for selecting and adjusting colors, and I feel they suit my style of expression.
Also, digital painting is appealing to me because it has fewer limitations and allows me to express myself more freely.
Actually, I am not at all good at mixing colors with paint, so I think digital is a better fit for me.
Where do you usually draw inspiration from?
I often go out for walks and travel, looking for materials and inspiration from nature and cityscapes. I record these in the form of sketches, photos, and notes. I enjoy observing changes in color and interesting shapes in nature, and I incorporate those elements into my creative work.
I am also influenced by media other than painting. For example, I often engage with works rich in visual elements, such as fashion, ceramics, and architecture.
Are there any artists or works that have influenced you?
I really love the work of Tatsuyuki Tanaka. His work is overflowing with a sense of presence, as if you were right there, and exquisite design.
The camera work in his paintings is very captivating, and I am drawn to his unique way of telling stories by making full use of angles and composition.
I am also greatly influenced by the work of Joaquín Sorolla. His ability to express color and light is truly wonderful, and his use of light and shadow is particularly impressive.
What kind of work do you want to create in the future?
I want to continue drawing the things I love. I want to create works where the joy and warmth I felt while drawing them can be felt by those who see them.
Also, in the future, I would like to draw stories and manga with different themes and genres. I want to try expressing things from perspectives different from my previous works and challenge myself with new styles. By touching on a wide range of themes and depicting more diverse emotions and worldviews, I hope to broaden the scope of my own expression.
Could you tell us the concept behind the works you are exhibiting?
Fish Dress
I used to live by the sea, so I often used the ocean as a motif. For me, the sea is a place with infinite expanse and mystery, and I have always been drawn to its charm.
This time, I drew a scene where a little witch and her cat fall into the sea. Her dress gradually turns into the shape of a fish, surrounding her. Through this work, I attempted to express the magic hidden within the sea and the invisible forces that shape the world.
Hat Thief
In this painting, I depicted a little witch who has found the cat that stole her hat and is angry under a tree. In the world I imagine, the hat is a device that creates clones. If you use this hat, you can create more and more clone cats. However, each time a clone is repeated, the animal deviates further from its original form, and the shape becomes increasingly simple and abstract. That is why so many cats appear in this world.
Lost in Lotus
In the world of this painting, the little witch can be replicated, and many clones of her exist. Each clone has a different hair length and age, making them appear as distinct individuals. In the story, multiple little witches are having adventures in different places. This painting depicts a scene where two little witches are exploring a maze-like area of lotus leaves with a small cat. They have lost their way and are shown looking troubled as they wander through the lotus leaves. Even so, they have not forgotten the joy of adventure.
Could you please share a message for our customers and everyone planning to visit?
The theme of this exhibition is "Comet." Not only do witches appear in the works, but I have also scattered and hidden fragments of stars within them.
I hope you will enjoy viewing the works while searching for those stars.
If my work can bring warmth to everyone who visits, I would be very happy.
I hope you will view them with a relaxed mind and enjoy a leisurely time.
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Mengxuan Li, thank you for sharing so many valuable stories with us.
The solo exhibition "Comet" is a rare opportunity to see Mengxuan Li's actual exhibited works all in one place. We look forward to seeing you there.
Mengxuan Li Solo Exhibition "Comet"
<Exhibition Period> July 30 (Wed) – August 10 (Sun), 2025
<Details>https://picaresquejpn.com/mengxuan-li_exhibition_2025/
<Mengxuan Li Official SNS>
X (formerly Twitter) https://x.com/MengxuanLiart
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mengxuankekw/
HP https://www.mengxuanli.com/
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[Standard Business Hours]
*Open: Wed - Sun & Holidays 11:00 - 18:00
*Closed: Every Mon & Tue
*Venue: Picaresque Gallery
*Address: 4-54-7 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
*Phone: 070-5273-9561
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■ List of Current & Past Exhibitions
https://picaresquejpn.com/category/information/
■ List of Upcoming & Scheduled Exhibitions
https://picaresquejpn.com/exhibition-calendar/
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