Timjune Tianjun Li
李天竣
Tianjun Li (b. 1999, CN/FI), also known as Timjune, is a Helsinki-based interdisciplinary and vocal-sonic artist whose practice integrates lens-based media, performance, and voice to reimagine human-nature relationships within contemporary socio-ecological contexts. Li holds an MA in Visual Cultures, Curating, and Contemporary Art, with a Minor in Sound in New Media from Aalto University.
Born with synesthesia and a vocal range spanning over four octaves, Li transforms natural and social landscapes into reconstructed images, soundscapes, and vocal performances. Li’s works craft fable-like reimagined utopias on grounded realities, challenging perceptions of identity and coexistence in the Anthropocene.
Li's work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as the PhotoNorth- Northern Photography Centre (Solo, FI), Contemporary Image Museum (CN), Kotka Art Biennale (FI), Helsinki City Museum (FI), M. Žilinskas Art Museum (LT), Kuću Legata Museum (RS) , Africa Foto Fair x MuCAT Museum (CI), Buffalo Arts Studio (US), PhotoSCHWEIZ Festival (CH), Tree Art Museum (CN), Photometria International Photography Festival (GR) and Paris Photo Day (FR). Li has also been selected for funded artist-in-residence such as SIM Residency (IS), Nordiskt Ljus (SE), Kotka Art Biennale (FI), A8 Design Centre (CN), Aranya China (CN), and Three Shadows Photography Art Centre (CN).
As a performing artist working with voice and image, Li has performed and showcased his project at Skissernas Museum (SE), Helsinki International Artist Programme (FI), Forum Box (FI), Finnish Museum of Theatre (FI), Künstlerstadt Kalbe (DE), Crypt Gallery London (UK), Kotka Art Biennale (FI), Design Museum of Barcelona (ES), Myymälä2 Gallery (FI), Stockholm Fringe Festival (SE), Outsider Art Festival (Fi), and Kulturhus Cyklopen (SE).
Recently, Li was selected as the cover artist for Modern Weekly's 'Vocals Lead to the Future' issue and featured in Der Grief 17 (launched at the Paris Photo Fair). Li has been recognized as one of ADCE’s 30 Best Young European Creative Talents, with a presentation and performance at the Design Museum of Barcelona. Since 2023, Li’s Singing Walk Project, released on Chinese social media, has amassed over 20 million views and 140K+ followers.
Beyond their artistic practice, Li has been commissioned and collaborated with musicians and companies, such as Warner Music Group and Sigur Rós, to create photography or album artwork.
Education
Visual Cultures, Curating, Contemporary Art, Master of Art, Aalto University, Finland
Sound in New Media (Minor), Aalto University, Finland
Exhibitions
Solo Exhibitions
2024 Photo North - Northern Photographic Centre, Oulu
Dual Exhibition
2021 Rêverie: Christophe Tissot & Tianjun Li Dual Exhibition, Galerie Cipango, Paris
Group Exhibitions
2024
Africa Foto Fair, MuCAT Museum
Aavistus Biennial of Audiovisual Art, Helsinki City Museum
Re-count Photography Agora, Ibn-Rachiq Cultural Center, Tunis
International Photography and Media Art Festival, M. Žilinskas Art Museum, Kaunas
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
Kotka 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, Ioannina, 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, SE (Fully Funded)
Camp Method Residency for Kotka 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
Selected Sound Artist for ORGANISTRUM Prgramme, KokoTheater, Helsinki
Nomads Festival: Helsinki Experimental Series, Performing with Helsinki Improvisers Orchestra, Forum Box Gallery, Helsinki
Rendered Voice, Skissernas Museum, Lund (11.2024)
Intent: Practice, Research and Togetherness, Helsinki International Artist Programme, Helsinki
Kulturhus Cyklopen, Stockholm Fringe Festival, Stockholm
Concert at Nordist Ljus, Kungälv
Outsider Art Festival, Mad House, Helsinki
SLURPS - New Stage of Contemporary Art, Pori
Kotka 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, Reykjavik
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 Travel Grant, Frame Contemporary Art Finland
2024 Northern Photographic Centre Exhibition Grant
2024 Leonardo Hotels, Winner of the Art Lives Here Programme
2024 Nordiskt Ljus Residency Gran
2024 Camp Method Residency Grant for Kokta Art Biennale
2024 Migration Institute of Finland Research Grant
2024 Finnfoto Grant for Exhibition Production
2024 Winter Campus Residency Grant, Künstlerstadt Kalbe
2023-2024 Aalto University, Art and Media Grant
2023 Ruskeat Tytöt Media
2023 Amatryx Lab & Studio and Michigan State University
2023 Theatre in Palm Residency Grant, Funded by Creative Europe
2023 Aalto University, Scholarship
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