澳大新語 • 2023 UMAGAZINE 28 42 人物專訪 • EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Prof Li believes that art is an ideal world crafted by our heart and hands. ‘Children are naturally drawn to scribbling, even before they develop their writing skills,’ he explains. ‘This innate connection underlines human’s instinct to understand the surrounding world. For example, a child who just starts learning to draw may draw a circle, which can be seen as creating a separation from the outside world. In other words, drawing is a way to express one’s worldview. I am convinced that art is not merely an expertise; it is intrinsically linked to personal growth,’ he says. Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, Prof Li has had a passion for painting, poetry, and literature since a young age. In 1980, as mainland China began its reform and opening-up, he enrolled in the Department of Journalism of the Beijing Broadcasting Institute (now known as the Communication University of China), hoping to pursue a literary career. He regarded the study of aesthetics as integral to the intellectual renaissance of the time and immersed himself in reading publications on aesthetics and philosophy. In 1984, he furthered his studies by enrolling in a postgraduate programme in aesthetics at Peking University’s Department of Philosophy. The enigmatic smile of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa has long captivated audiences. To Prof Li Jun, head of the Department of Arts and Design at the University of Macau (UM), Renaissance artists’ genius goes beyond their technical skills. Their works capture the socio-cultural currents of their times, offering deep insights into human emotions and inner conflicts. This, Prof Li believes, is the true value of art, and is what fuels his passion for the study of art history. Unveiling the Artist Within After graduating from Peking University, Prof Li taught at the Central Academy of Fine Arts for 37 years. He also served as dean of the School of Humanities. His research interests encompass Leonardo da Vinci, the Renaissance, transcultural arts, cultural heritage, exhibition planning, as well as visual culture and art history methodology. Among his notable publications are A Visible History of Art: From Church to Museum, and A Transcultural History of Art: On Images and Its Doubles. In June 2023, he joined UM’s Department of Arts and Design. He is currently working with other professors in the department to nurture the next generation of artists and art historians. 《可視的藝術史：從教堂到博物館》《跨文化的藝術史：圖像及其重影》《在最遙遠的地方尋找故鄉：13-16世紀中國與意大利的跨文化交流》 A Visible History of Art: From Church to Museum, A Transcultural History of Art: On Images and Its Doubles, and Finding A Homeland at the End of the World – The Trans-cultural Exchanges and Interactions Between China and Italy From the 13th Century to the 16th Century
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTQ1NDU2Ng==