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Artist Carves Nature out of Industrial Waste

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Artist Carves Nature out of Industrial Waste

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In the residential area of Sham Shui Po in Hong Kong, there is a cluttered studio full of artworks owned by a sculptor dedicated to spreading the concept of environmental protection through art.

Joe Li  is a wood and copper carving artist. He began making artworks with copper recycled from old power lines in 2005 because it’s environmentally friendly. He likes to carve elements representing nature, such as trees, mushrooms, flowers and mountains, etc. He thinks carving elements of nature out of industrial waste is an interesting combination.He also likes to match wood carving with bronze carving by melting copper into woods, which he thinks is a combination of modernity and nature.

Joe Li's works often participate in sculpture exhibitions in museums. Recently, Victoria Park just bought his carved mushroom-shaped benches. Some of his works will be sold outside Hong Kong, such as high-end hotels in mainland China, as decorative artworks.

Joe Li has stopped accepting apprentices for several years because he wants to leave more time for himself. Only his long-time friends will visit his studio to learn carving from him.

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Joe Li is taking out materials from the cabinet in his studio on October. 14,2021.

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Joe Li is holding one of his work in his studio on October. 14,2021. He says that the tree bench represents the place to rest, the lamp represents the inspiration in life and the tree represents the protection of the home.The road extending outward symbolizes the future.

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Joe Li is cutting copper to make a clock face in his studio on October. 14,2021.

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Florence is learning how to cut copper in Joe Li's studio on October. 14,2021. Florence, who didn't give her last name, retired a year ago and since then she learned to make copper sculptures. She says making things by her own hands is a realising process and it's a good way to kill time since she has no work to do and no grandchildren yet to take care of.

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Joe Li says in his studio on October. 14,2021 that he designed the clock face with the pointer in the shape of an umbrella because he felt umbrellas were very symbolic  in Hong Kong. The clock face is divided by a curving line, which he says is in the shape of Sierra Leone. He says sierra Leone is an important landmark in Hong Kong and he came up with the idea of painting it on the clock because he saw the mountain every day from his studio.

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There is a wall hanging all kinds of tools in Joe Li's studio on October. 14,2021

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Joe Li is showing Elina how to cut patterns of flowers on a wooden bracelet in his studio on October. 14,2021. Elina, who didn't give her last name, is Florence's younger sister who just started learning to curve woods.

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Joe Li is curving an wooden bracelet with the stainless steel wire on the little saw in his studio on October. 14,2021.

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Elina, who didn't give her last name, is curving flower patterns after Joe Li's instruction in Joe Li's studio on October. 14,2021

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Elina, who didn't give her last name, is holding her first work in Joe Li studio on October. 14,2021. She started carving woods because she wanted to surprise her husband with a Christmas present. She thought hand-made gifts were very meaningful. She made it for her husband for Christmas this year. She says Christmas this year will be especially meaningful because it will be the day her husband turns 60. The gift she made is a longevity peach carved with an idiom meaning “Be together no matter what difficulties”.

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Joe Li is telling Elina that his teapot handle broke, so he made the teapot handle out of copper in his studio on October. 14,2021. He says that the combination of ceramics and copper is also very beautiful.

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Joe Li says he likes making trees and treehouses to indicate that human beings should live harmoniously with nature in his studio on October. 14,2021.

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Joe Li says this work hanging on the wall in his studio is "Destiny" and the grid represents the complexity of our lives but if people are destined to meet each other, they can meet each other at the intersection of roads, on October. 14,2021