February 18, 2021 Black Flame, 2016-2017 Two new exhibitions recently opened at Contemporary Gallery Kunming – "Blank Paper", a solo exhibition of Liu Jianhua, and "The Trees", a solo exhibition of Li Ji. Both are curated by Cui Cancan, one of the most dynamic curators on the Chinese scene today. Liu Jianhua is an internationally-acclaimed sculpture and installation artist best known for his work in ceramic. Having trained for a time in Jingdezhen, China's main porcelain production center, he was drawn to its potential as a material for contemporary creation. He often uses it as a means for exploring the nature of material, such as in "Foam", a wall of white ceramic bricks with the texture of styrofoam, made specifically for this exhibition. "Blank Paper", from which this exhibition takes its title, resembles a giant piece of blank paper hung on the wall, with slightly upturned corners at the bottom. As the curator writes in his exhibition essay: