We recently connected with Wenpei Li and have shared our conversation below.

Wenpei, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was thirteen, I realized I wanted to work in a creative field, but I wasn’t sure what that would be or what I wanted to create. At the time, I attended a painting class on weekends at a public middle school in China, where I immersed myself in the joy of painting. After practicing painting for a while, I began to have some ideas about my future career and knew I wanted to work in something related to art. Unfortunately, my parents objected, and I ended up majoring in journalism in college. I thought that I could become an artist anytime, but before that, I wanted to see what was happening in society and how it worked. I worked as an editor for several years and then pursued my MFA studies at Syracuse University in the United States. In recent years, creating illustrations and experimental animations has gradually helped me figure out what I want to create.

Wenpei, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Wenpei Li and I’m an artist, illustrator, and animator. I was born in northern China and have lived in many different cities in China and the US since I turned 18. These changes in my living conditions have inspired my art. Creating illustrations and experimental animations has helped me figure out what I want to create, even though it took me a while to find my creative field. I used to make documentaries and write non-fiction novels, but then I realized that I wanted to tell stories with my own visual language. Whether it’s through my illustrations or animations, I hope to reflect some of my speculative processes in them. Even when creating commercial illustrations, I strive to infuse this kind of speculation into my work to add a sense of fun. I particularly enjoy creating illustrations for “The Livings” and “on Stage,” which are platforms for Chinese fiction and non-fiction writing. It’s exciting to bring unique visuals to the text every time I create illustrations for these novels.

My first experimental short film, “Drifting of a Leaf,” explores the themes of environment and time. This animation has been selected for several international film festivals, including the Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival, Alibag Short Film Festival, Dreamer’s Short Film Festival, and Cannes Short Film Festival. It was awarded Best Animation at the Environmental Film & Screenplay Festival.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

The prospect of encountering extraterrestrial life has been a major source of inspiration for me since childhood. The idea of exploring the unknown and discovering new civilizations has always been a driving force behind my creativity. In fact, the concept of encountering aliens has played a significant role in the development of my latest animation project, “Drifting of a Leaf”. I believe that the presence of an extraterrestrial being in the story adds a sense of mystery and intrigue that will keep viewers engaged and interested in the narrative.

Furthermore, I believe that the imagination of the unknown is a powerful tool for inspiring creativity. By exploring the vast and boundless universe, we are able to expand our minds and contemplate possibilities that we may not have otherwise considered. In this sense, the possibility of encountering extraterrestrial life has the potential to inspire new ideas and perspectives that can lead to truly groundbreaking works of art and literature.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

As an artist, the most fulfilling aspect of being one for me is achieving inner peace. The issues that surround me create a strong urge to be expressed, and as an artist, I find a suitable way to fulfill that need. For example, even though I used to be disheartened about the future of humanity (which is true), creating art can ease that disappointment.

Contact Info:

• Website: wenpeili.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wenpei.art/