We had the good fortune of connecting with Jiaoyang Li and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Jiaoyang, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My venture blurs the lines between commerce and artistry, embodying a fusion where art infuses life, and community engagement transforms into an archive and artwork in itself. Inspired by my idol, Mr. Chen Tong, the visionary artist, pioneer publisher and founder of Guangzhou’s Borges Bookstore, who once showcased the bookstore as an art piece at the Venice Biennale. This endeavor is more than a business; it’s an experimental amalgamation of a bookstore, a publishing studio, and an art space. It operates not on conventional business strategies, but on the principles of artistic expression, challenging the norms and redefining the essence of a business in the art world.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
What brings me the greatest joy is ensuring the authenticity, independence, and innovation of our work. For instance, as a publisher, I’ve had the honor of showcasing our publications at numerous book fairs around the world, including brooklyn book fair, Abc Art Book Fair and others. As a curator and jury for our Rehearsal Art Book Fair, I’ve brought some of China’s finest independent publications, including works rarely seen even within China, to New York. These pieces may seem niche and independent, but in reality, they are the most precious, rare, and truly global in their appeal. Many works from our book fair have been collected by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and I’ve had the privilege of being invited by the Met to give a lecture, sharing these unique Chinese books. As a poet, my work is mostly not printed in book, but existed in museum, and theatre. Sometimes it’s hard to define its genre, but can see it is breaking the boundary and creating a new kind of genre. The path I tread is one of forging new trails and breaking the rules of the game. It’s not about following a set path, like hosting a normal exhibition in a conventional commercial gallery. Rather, it’s about creating something that has a social impact, resonates with the entire community, returns to the essence of art, and can spark new artistic trends.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
go to the vintage clothing stores, the ones not on any list. Art is at where trash is.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to extend my profound gratitude to my partners, Zhong Na and Pan Hongru, whose unparalleled skills as writers and co-creators in the art world have been instrumental in realizing our shared dream of launching a bookstore and an art space. Their contribution is nothing short of extraordinary. A special shoutout to John Tsung for always believing in the significance of our work, and to the talented director Ruoyun Chen, who captured our journey in a documentary, witnessing the miracles we’ve created. Immense thanks also go to the Chinese American Art Institute, New York Culture Salon, CAAN, iidrr: gallery, and other art institutions and organizations that have collaborated with us. And last but certainly not least, my appreciation to the visionary curator, Chirina Chen Chi, for her exceptional contribution. Together, we’ve woven a tapestry of art and culture that transcends boundaries
Website: https://www.jiaoyangli-textile.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jylllllll___/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiaoyang-li-96413b91/
Image Credits
Hongru Pan