Timjune Tianjun Li
李天竣
Tianjun Li (b. 1999, CN), also known as Timjune, is a Helsinki-based interdisciplinary visual artist and musician specializing in photography, voice, and performance.
Timjune’s work reimagines the narratives of the human-nature relationship within contemporary contexts—from belonging, immigration to deforestation. Born with synesthesia, he perceives images through sound. His voice, spanning more than four octaves, evokes natural movements and social landscapes, transcending both gender and the divide between humans and nature. By reconstructing images, sounds, and conducting vocal experiments, he transforms photographic art into multi-sensory installations and performances. His work creates surreal, fablelike utopias rooted in harsh realities, highlighting the parallel trajectories between individuals, communities, and the ever-changing natural environment in the Anthropocene era.
Timjune's works have been showcased in exhibitions across the globe, including Contemporary Image Museum (CN), Kotka Biennale (FI), PhotoSCHWEIZ Festival (CH)), Der Greif (DE), Tree Art Museum (CN), Photometria International Photography Festival (GR), Kuca Legata Museum (RS), Paris Photo Day (FR), M. Žilinskas Art Museum (LT), and MuCAT Museum (CI). Recently, Timjune was honored with several awards, including the 1st Prize in the New Talents of Belgrade Photo Month 2023 and the 1839 Photography Award. He has performed and showcased his photography-sound project Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind at the OPIA Launch Night (presented by musician Ólafur Arnalds) at Silent Green Berlin (DE), Künstlerstadt Kalbe (DE), Crypt Gallery London (UK), SIM Residency Reykjavik (IS), Kotka Art Biennale (FI), Design Museum of Barcelona (ES), Myymälä2 Gallery (FI), Stockholm Fringe Festival (SE), Outsider Art Festival (Fi), Kulturhus Cyklopen (SE), Skissernas Museum (SE), Helsinki International Artist Programme (FI), and the Finnish Museum of Theatre (FI).
Furthermore, he was recently selected as the cover artist of Modern Weekly’s ‘Vocals Lead to the Future’ Issue, Der Grief 17 (Launch during Paris Photo Fair), and he has been granted a solo exhibition by the Northern Photographic Centre (FI) in 2024 and selected as one of the 30 Best Young European Creative Talents by ADCE to present and perform at the Design Museum of Barcelona.
In addition to his artistic practice, he works with musicians and music companies, such as Warner Music Group, to create photography and album artwork.
Education
2022-2024
Visual Cultures, Curating, Contemporary Art, Master of Art, Aalto University, Finland
Sound in New Media (Minor), Aalto University, Finland
2017-2021
Communication, Bachelor of Art, South China Normal University, China
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Photo North - Northern Photographic Centre, Oulu (9.2024)
2023 Space Place Gallery of Contemporary Art, Nizhny Tagil
Dual Exhibition
2021 Rêverie: Christophe Tissot & Tianjun Li Dual Exhibition, Galerie Cipango, Paris
Group Exhibitions
2024
Africa Foto Fair, MuCAT Museum (10. 2024)
Re-count Photography Agora, Ibn-Rachiq Cultural Center, Tunis
International Photography and Media Art Festival, M. Žilinskas Art Museum, Kaunas (10. 2024)
Art Lives Here (Final Winner), NYX Hotel by Leonardo Hotels, Warsaw
Urban Apa x Stoa, Stoa Cultural Centre, Helsinki
OPIA Festival Gallery Exhibition (Presented by Olafur Arnalds), Utrecht
Kokta Art Biennale, Kotka (FI)
Microtonal Music Studios Research and Study Programme Exhibition, Myymälä2 Gallery, Helsinki
Together: Poetic Asian Hands, Gaoshan Gallery, Helsinki
Directors Choice, photo: SCHWEIZ, Zürich
KREATIVITÄT DER LANGSAMKEIT, GISELA – Freier Kunstraum Lichtenberg, Berlin
2023
World Biennial of Student Photography, Novi Sad
1839 Photography Award, Contemporary Image Museum, Chengdu International Photography Festival, Chengdu
OPIA Launch Event Gallery (Presented by Ólafur Arnalds), Silent Green Kulturquartier, Berlin
Photometria International Photography Festival, Loannina, Greece
Hamburg Portfolio Review Public Space Exhibition, Platz der Republik (Altonaer Museum), Hamburg
Single Shot Winner Exhibition, Festival di Fotografia a Capri, Certosa San Glacomo, Capri
Creativity in the Time of COVID-19: Art as a Tool for Combating Inequity and Injustice, Buffalo Arts Studio, New York
Past & Present: Der Greif 15 Anniversary, Pinakothek der Moderne and ZIRKA, Munich
Solo Exhibition, Space Place Gallery of Contemporary Art, Nizhny Tagil
Living Room, Free City of Kalasatama Gallery, Helsinki
Artistic Presentation in Vuosaari Ecologies, Villa Lill Kallvik, Helsinki
New Talents 2023 (1st Prize Winner), Belgrade Photo Month, Belgrade
Schu1pture the 0ther Way, Vallian Panimo Gallery, Helsinki
2022
Empty Lawn, Photography Group Exhibition, Banshan Gallery, Tokyo
2021
Rêverie: Christophe Tissot & Tianjun Li Dual Exhibition, Galerie Cipango, Paris
Photo Days Paris 2021, Paris
8th Stars Project: Contemporary Art Exhibition, Tree Art Museum, Beijing
Bushu Art Book Fair, Golden Union Surpass Space Expo, Shanghai
Poetry of Life, C-Town Art Space, Nanjing
2020
Hide and Seek Experimental Photography Exhibition, Banshan Gallery, Tokyo
Film 500 Drift Photography Group Exhibition, Fuji X-SPACE, Shanghai
Solitude: Edge and Consciousness, Gumei Art Center, Shanghai
CHABF Art Book Exhibition, A4 International Art Residency Center, Chengdu
NABF Nanjing Art Book Fair, "Echo Project" Nanjing
Ningbo International Photography Week, Ningbo
Winter Exhibition, Echo Dark Gallery, Shenzhen
2019
The Shapes of Hibernation, Solo Exhibition, Smilology Gallery, Guangzhou
RETURN Cross-Media Art Group Exhibition, Arbre Art Centre, Shenzhen
Features and Presses
Fotobus further 05, 2024
Der Grief (Issue 17, Launch during Paris Photo Fair), 2024
Dovetail Magazine, 2024
Visual Dialogue, seen-zeen Magazine, 2024
假杂志 JIAZAZHI Feature Article, 2024
Featured Interview, Modern Weekly 周末画报, Dec, 2023
Agenda 2024, ISSP (Platform for Contemporary Photography, Riga), 2023
2nd Chengdu International Photography Festival Collection Publication, 2023
Featured Artist Seen-zeen Magazine, 2023
Feature Article in Ruskeat Tytöt Media #1, 2023
Cover Artist and Interview, Modern Weekly 周末画报, Nov. 2023
Photographer. ru, 2023
Foto Noviny 63, 2023
Black Camera, 2023
Photographer in Focus, NOWNESS Asia, 2023
Spotlight Interview, 艺术品鉴 Appreciation Journal, 2023
Subjective Atlas of Finland, Subjective Editions, 2023
Feature Article, BROAD Magazine, 2023
TORSO Magazine, Finland 2023
Personal Interview, Bestudio, Helsinki, 2023
Rotterdam Photo Festival 2022
Paris Photo Day 2021
Exhibition Book of 8th Stars Project: Contemporary Art Exhibition, Tree Art Museum, 2021
Interview: Tianjun Li: "Painting" with Photos, creating moments of fantasy, Guangzhou Daily (GZ Photo) 2021
Cover Story & Artist Spotlight, SINK HOLLOW Magazine Spring Issue 2021
Interview on 500px, 2021
Reppink Selects Feature Artist, Broad Magazine, 2020-2021
Opening Screen Display on Douban/Tuchong App, 2020-2021
Cover Story & Interview: Tianjun Li: To Create a Moment in Fantasy, BLINK Magazine Vol. 040, 2020
Interview on What You Need, August 2020
Online Exhibition, BIE, July. 2020
Young Power Art Program Interview, BOBOSNAP Magazine, Spring Issue 2021/Fall Issue 2020
BLINK Artist Project: Tianjun Li: The moment when photography is implemented is mysterious, BLINK Magazine Vol. 034, 2019
Artist Residency
2024
Art Lives Here - Photographic Artist Residency by Leonardo Hotels, PL (Fully Funded)
Nordiskt Ljus, SW (Fully Funded)
Camp Method Residency for Kokta Art Biennale, FI (Fully Funded)
Winter Campus Residency, Künstlerstadt Kalbe, DE (Fully Funded)
2023
SIM Artist Residency, Reykjavik, IS (Granted by Aalto Art and Media Grant)
Theatre in Palm Artist Residency, SW & FI (Funded by Creative Europe)
2021
Three Shadows Photography Art Center & Portman Hotel Residency (Funded by Jimei x Arles International Photo Festival), CN
Aranya Eastern Rising Tide Photography Artist Residency Program (Funded by Aranya), CN
Photographic Artist Residency Program, Yan Art Gallery (Funded by A8 Design Center), CN
2020
Ripple: Artist-in-Residence Program, Spontaneous Art Village, Shanghai, CN
Performances & Concerts
2024
Intent: Practice, Research and Togetherness, Helsinki International Artist Programme, Helsinki
Stockholm Fringe Festival, Stockholm (Nominated for Audiovisual Excellence Award)
Concert at Nordist Ljus, Kungälv
Outsider Art Festival, Mad House, Helsinki
SLURPS - New Stage of Contemporary Art, Pori
Kokta Art Biennale, Finland
Performance and Presentation, 30 Best Young European High Potentials Creative Talents by Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE), Design Museum of Barcelona
Concert, Microtonal Music Studios Research and Study Week, Myymälä2 Gallery, Helsinki
Solo Concert, Künstlerstadt Kalbe, Kalbe
Performance at SIM Residency, Reykjaviuk
2023
Vocalist in Helsinki Improvisation Orchestra, Helsinki
Performance at PENTHOUSE Gallery, Helsinki
Polyphonic, Crypt Gallery, London
Performance at Finnish Museum of Theatre, Helsinki
Photosynth Social Club: Summer Beat Camp & Sound Bathouse Performance, PIXELACHE Festival, Helsinki
Vocalist in Chicago Boys - While We Were Singing, They Were Dreaming, IHME Helsinki
Previous Grants
2024 Northern Photographic Centre Exhibition Grant, 1000 €
2024 Leonardo Hotels, Winner of Art Lives Here Programme, 1000 €
2024 Aalto University, Scholarship, 7500 €
2024 Nordiskt Ljus Residency Grant, 500 €
2024 Camp Method Residency Grant for Kokta Art Biennale, 400 €
2024 MIgration Institute of Finland Research Grant, 800 €
2024 Finnfoto Grant for Exhibition Production, 1000 €
2024 Winter Campus Residency Grant, Künstlerstadt Kalbe 300 €
2023 Aalto University, Art and Media Grant, 600 €
2023 Aalto University, Art and Media Grant, 670 €
2023 Ruskeat Tytöt Media, 400 €
2023 Amatryx Lab & Studio and Michigan State University, 250 €
2023 Theatre in Palm Residency, Funded by Creative Europe, 1.000 €
2023 Aalto University, Scholarship, 1.500 €
2023 Aalto University, Art and Media Grant, 750 €
Other Artistic Programmes
2024
Tutor for Visual Culture, Curating, and Contemporary Art MA, Aalto University
Performance and Presentation, 30 Best Young European High Potentials Creative Talents by Art Directors Club of Europe (ADCE), Design Museum of Barcelona
Vocalist in Helsinki Improvisation Orchestra, Helsinki
2023
Selected Artists of Hamburg Portfolio Review, Hamburg
Vocalist in Chicago Boys - While We Were Singing, They Were Dreaming, IHME Helsinki
Subjective Atlas of Finland, Subjective Editions, Curated by Annelys Devet
2021
Selected artist for Connections Through Culture, China-British Art Links, British Council
Prize for Excellence at The One. art Global NFT Arts Competition
2020
Young Power Artist Program, BOBOSNAP Magazine
2019
First Prize at Photography Competition, Art23 Contemporary Art Gallery, Guangzhou