Timjune Tianjun Li
李天竣
Tianjun Li (b. 1999, China), also known as Timjune, is a Helsinki-based interdisciplinary visual artist and musician with a primary focus on photography, sound, and performance.
Timjune's artistic practice encompasses the interplay of various photographic subjects, sonic elements, and vocal experiments. His works explore alternative narratives of the human-nature relationship within contemporary phenomena. Through reconstructing photography and sound, he re-imagines surreal, fable-like utopias rooted in harsh realities, illuminating parallel trajectories between marginalized individuals 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), PhotoSCHWEIZ Festival (CH)), Photometria International Photography Festival (GR), Paris Photo Day (FR) and cities such as Paris, New York, Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, Helsinki, Berlin, and London. He is also one of the youngest artists to host a solo exhibition in South China. Recently, Timjune was honored with several awards, including the 1st Prize in the New Talents of Belgrade Photo Month 2023 and 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, Künstlerstadt Kalbe, Crypt Gallery London, SIM Residency Reykjavik, and Finnish Museum of Theatre. Furthermore, he recently selected as the cover artist of "Modern Weekly" Magazine and he has been granted a solo exhibition by Photo North - Northern Photographic Centre (FI) in 2024. He has been invited by the renowned photography artist Aida Muluneh to exhibit his works at Africa Foto Fair 2024.
In addition to his fine art pursuits, Timjune collaborates with the music industry, creating album artwork and visuals for international musicians and renowned labels such as Warner Music Group.
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 & Awards
2024
Solo Exhibition at PhotoNorth - Northern Photographic Centre, Oulu (9.2024)
Africa Foto Fair (Upcoming, 2024)
Together: Poetic Asian Hands, Gaoshan Gallery, Helsinki
Directors Choice, photoSCHWEIZ, 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
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
Winter Campus Residency, Künstlerstadt Kalbe, DE (Granted)
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
Performance & Art Programs
2024
Open Studio and Solo Concert, Künstlerstadt Kalbe, Kalbe
2023
Artist Talk at SIM Residency, Reykjavík
Vocalist in Helsinki Improvisation Orchestra, Helsinki
1839 Photography Award, China
Performance at PENTHOUSE Gallery, Helsinki
Polyphonic, Crypt Gallery, London
Performance of Today, Tomorrow, and the Tales from the Wind at Finnish Museum of Theatre, Helsinki
Co-curator of “Fog is a cloud that touches the ground”, Helsinki
Photosynth Social Club: Summer Beat Camp & Sound Bathouse Performance, PIXELACHE Festival, Helsinki
Selected Artists of Hamburg Portfolio Review, Hamburg
Student Award Winner, Photometria International Photography Festival, Loannina, Greece
Single Shot Winner, Festival di Fotografia a Capri, Certosa San Glacomo, Capri
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
Previous Grants
2024 Winter Campus Residency Scholarship, Künstlerstadt Kalbe
2023, Aalto University, Art and Media Grant
2023, Aalto University, Art and Media Grant
2023, Ruskeat Tytöt Media, Publish Grant
2023, Amatryx Lab & Studio and Michigan State University, Artist Fee,
2023, Theatre in Palm Residency, Funded by Creative Europe
2023, Aalto University, Scholarship
2023, Aalto University, Art and Media Grant
Artist Statement
In my artistic journey, I explore alternative human-nature narratives of the Anthropocene amidst contemporary phenomena such as human rights crises, immigration dilemmas, and ecological issues.
I employ photography and sound as my mediums to reimagine utopias rooted in harsh realities, serving as a shelter of escapism or as fables for the future. Upon transitioning from China to Europe, I gained insights into shifting political landscapes and the coexistence of humans and nature. Embracing my new identity as an immigrant artist, I am inspired to explore and illuminate the parallel trajectories between social and natural phenomena, revolving around the destinies of marginalized individuals and communities, and the evolving environmental crisis. Under specific topics I wish to address and express, I capture photos from various times and spaces, exploring and building connections to reconstruct photographic elements into new poetic perspectives through double exposure and overlapping. Additionally, I handcraft mixed-media on the photos to enhance their narrative depth.
As an interdisciplinary visual artist and musician, in recent years, my artistic exploration has extended further into the symbiotic relationship between sound and imagery, seeking to evoke a multisensory experience of photography and sonic performance that transcends traditional boundaries, fostering a richer understanding of the narratives I seek to convey.
Timjune Tianjun Li
2024