Give you a piece of paper, a pen, what will you draw? Facing a blank piece of paper, when you concentrate and focus, the colors, lines, and composition drawn from your pen, whether it is a chaotic style or a graceful ink charm, can reflect the emotions in your heart at the moment. In each stroke, there is the tranquility of a person, and the beauty of all things, this is the lovely part of the art of painting.
Whether it’s a drama or a comedy, whenever she appears on the screen now, she always manages to stir up a buzz. The characters she plays and her acting skills often become the focus of everyone’s attention. She can be a fierce female judge, a nervous expectant mother, or even the recently played divorced mother Wang Limei. Her acting achievements are gradually being recognized by the public, making her many people’s favorite actress. Her charm extends beyond the television industry, as in recent years she has been more active in the art world. Apart from the camera, she is a lover of ink painting and enjoys her solitude in making ceramics. Recently, she even publicly displayed her ceramic works to raise funds for grassroots students’ learning expenses, infecting others and herself with art. It is this kind of inherent richness that has made her a recognized beauty with elegance, a “goddess” in everyone’s eyes.
She, who is self-proclaimed sensitive, enjoys experiencing the different aspects of life through painting, calligraphy, as well as words and images, sharing the unique art of life with herself and the public. Most importantly, she has a good dialogue with her inner self. Besides acting, she loves art and shares with us the relationship between art and her, and what influence art has on her. Today, let’s not talk about acting, but listen to her sharing about the art of life.
She is our April cover star – Ali Lee.
「其實所有具有生命的東西，都是一種藝術」
“Even a momentary touch, life actually exists.”
What is art? Perhaps everyone has a different interpretation. Some people think that art is something unattainable, while others believe that art comes from life, and even the most trivial things can be the inspiration for art. For Ali, who also loves art, he has his own interpretation of art: “In fact, everything that has life is a form of art. When you give life to it, it transforms from an inanimate object into something that can communicate with humans, can interact with others, can infect, and can touch people’s hearts.”
In her eyes, all forms of art are essentially the same, whether it’s painting, sculpture, dancing, or acting. Even though the presentation may vary greatly, every creator hopes to express themselves and life through their work. When others can feel a hint of resonance or spark a conversation from the artwork, “when everyone feels the interaction, even if it’s just a momentary touch, life actually exists.”
She continued, “This is art.”
Factory’ Patch Pocket Wide Leg Crop Denim Jeans, Helmut Lang (Lane Crawford) / Sabrine ribbed merino wool sweater and tank set, Safiyaa (Net-A-Porter) /
Acting can be associated with art or linked to art because in the process of acting, one can use more sensory stimuli to experience certain things, certain experiences, allowing actors to discover more of their impossibilities. Even though dealing with characters inevitably requires rational guidance, the process of self-pursuit and exploration can be very pure. The key lies in whether the performers and the audience can generate resonance or communication in their feelings.
“My life, my work, I am used to giving everything life”
Ali, who values communication, originally transitioned from hosting programs to acting, choosing to embark on the path of an actor, all because of her personality: “I am definitely a sensitive person myself. If it weren’t for this trait, I believe I wouldn’t choose to be an actor.” Through acting, she is able to interact and communicate internally and externally. “In fact, being an actor is an internal pursuit, or a process of self-discovery.” Ali believes that besides being familiar with scripts and characters, what actors often need to invest in the most is understanding themselves, developing themselves, and even shattering their own determination. She even describes this as an endless process, during which actors will experience a mix of emotions, self-doubt, and exhaustion. But it is precisely because of this hysterical dedication that actors can explore various aspects of real life, and then present a compelling performance.
For her acting career, Ali is most grateful not only for the audience’s recognition, but for everything she has experienced and digested along the way in her acting journey, how she communicates with the audience through the interpretation of different roles, and how she constructs a space where she can have a good conversation with herself.
And art, she sees it as a vital element, in her eyes acting is not just acting, but also a part of her life, and her role in it gives life to different people, things, and events. Even if it’s traveling through the mountains, seeing the scenery of falling leaves along the way, or a passionate performance in a drama series, Ali believes that as long as you are willing to share and express, vitality is always everywhere.
Art occupies 100% of her life.
「水墨是沒有回頭，我覺得與人生很相似」
“I used to be quite introverted actually”
Ali, who always greets people with a smile and exudes a healthy vibe, is sincere and straightforward. On the day of the shoot, she ran with all her might, and when asked to lie on the ground, she did so without hesitation. This approachable image may not make you think that she would use “autistic” to describe her former self. “Actually, I used to be quite autistic. I was the type who didn’t really understand how to communicate with others, and I didn’t like to interact or communicate with people. I only loved living in my own world and fantasies, with all sorts of strange thoughts in my mind. Plus, I had no idea how to manage my emotions.”
As Ali grew older, she realized that her personality had accumulated a certain level of emotional stress. Due to her lack of sensitivity to words since childhood, she tried to release herself through art, allowing the chaotic thoughts in her mind to be expressed.
During her school years, she studied visual arts, and even after growing up, she never stopped learning painting and photography. She has explored various painting styles, seriously delving into the knowledge of sketching, watercolor, and even oil painting. However, ultimately, due to a fortuitous opportunity, she was enlightened by a painting teacher from Taiwan and was deeply attracted to ink painting, thus beginning her affinity with ink painting.
When it comes to color, the color palette of oil painting is much richer than ink wash; in terms of brushstrokes, sketching is sharper and more detailed than ink wash. Why did Ali abandon all his previous skills and focus solely on mastering the technique of dotting and dyeing with ink wash?
“When you look at the blank paper in front of you, you can only roughly and gently sketch out the composition in your mind with a pencil, and then you must start drawing directly. With ink wash painting, once you start drawing, it immediately disperses. If you exert too much force or there is too much water in the brush, it will show on the white paper, and once you start drawing, there is no turning back. This characteristic oddly reminds me of life.”
The snow-white flawless rice paper, stained with drops of ink, inevitably burdens the first-time user with various worries before picking up the brush, such as what to paint, where to start, and how much ink to use on the brush tip. These considerations may prompt an immediate decision to put brush to paper, but for Ali, such burdens are reflected in daily life, and can be enjoyed through careful learning. “If the present moment is unsatisfactory, why not wait for the next stroke, reorganize your thoughts, and consider how to round off the original dissatisfaction.”
「那種收放自如，將會是我畢生都想要學習的事情。」
The appreciation of art has always been polarized from ancient times to the present. It stems from the subjective concept of aesthetics, but compared to the perception of beauty, Ali seems to be more attracted and inspired by the mutual influence of art and life.
Art originates from life, but it is also higher than life. Ink dots on rice paper, whether it’s the rhythm of ink painting, the use of white space, or the wrist strength in calligraphy, Ali believes that presenting light and shade on rice paper also relies on experience. “Just like how our lives depend on past experiences, one day accumulating enough experience will understand how to take the next step; and when you don’t have enough confidence to take the next step, these can actually be reflected in your pace, your brushstrokes, and others can see it.”
The ink-like imagery, Ali openly admits that after many years of holding the pen, he is still in the exploration stage, and it will be an endless pursuit of growth and life in the future. The goal is not necessarily limited to the magnificent scenery of mountains and rivers. Through each stroke, each time the pen falls to present the spiritual idea, that is what Ali cares most about exploring. “For example, how boldly I ‘let go,’ because only by daring to paint can there be that aura, but when I let go too much, it will become out of control, and that skill of receiving and letting go is what I discovered in ink painting and calligraphy.”
Ali openly admitted that the thoughts and spiritual influences she gained from ink painting have allowed her to embody a better version of herself in any artistic creation, performance, or interaction with others. This kind of effortless understanding is what she has always wanted to learn throughout her life.
「我內心的空間越廣闊，我對外界的包容亦會越大」
“When I can handle myself properly, I can present a better self to the outside world.”
Art is often misunderstood as a category of “only for distant viewing, not for close appreciation”. Through years of observation, it is more or less because the work cannot connect with the audience. Regarding the formation of this barrier, Ali, as a performer, said: “If what I do or create is not understood by others, it has lost the process of communication in life for me.” She explained that while expressing oneself and releasing emotions, one cannot ignore some rational processing or channels in the way of expression. This is also her constant assertion of “walking between rationality and sensibility”, “Because I value this more, I have always believed that art that can be understood is truly art.”
If we count from the beginning, this year marks Ali’s 13th year in the industry. She humbly admits that her ability to be active in the spotlight is partly due to her positive image. But how can she always maintain this positive image? Ali shares that the key lies in exploring balance in daily life.
“In private, I prefer to connect with nature because being in nature itself is a process of exploration, a process that allows you to truly be with yourself.” The vitality and energy in front of the screen will eventually be depleted after a day, and being able to maintain mindfulness all along relies on the balance in daily life, the opportunities that allow oneself to breathe and settle, to learn and explore ways to be with oneself. “When I can take care of myself properly, then I can present a better self to the outside world, and this routine is my life balance.”
“I don’t think of myself as a goddess”
When it comes to nature, Ali feels that she is more like a “wild child” than a “goddess.” “Because I love to wander in the mountains, the kind of person who, as soon as they see grass, will take off their shoes and step on the grass.” It is because of this that she also gets tanned, freckled, her legs covered in bruises from bumps and scrapes, and even, because she likes to run barefoot in the mountains, calluses on her feet. Ali is very open about it. Rather than focusing on external attractiveness, she cares more about the beauty that radiates from within, such as confidently and freely expressing and sharing her true self according to her heart’s desires.
It sounds like a matter of course, but after years of serious interaction with herself, with people around her, and with nature, she understands that it is not easy at all. For the cultivation of beauty, she has this advice: “You must keep a pair of eyes that know how to discover beauty, try to discover the strengths of others and things, because from it you can learn to respect, and then learn to treat, appreciate, and be grateful for everything around you; at the very least, you will not try to destroy or destroy it in the past. This is something I have always wanted to do and will continue to do in the future.”
Understanding leads to compassion. It is probably because of such cultivation that Ali exudes a different kind of charm.
「不斷去找尋更好的自己。」
In recent years, Ali has become a regular presence in front of the camera, but a pandemic suddenly turned her usual life upside down, and the place she stayed all day changed from a photography studio to her familiar home. Since the heavens unexpectedly demanded that the world rest, she also took this opportunity to embark on another long and in-depth self-exploration – writing a book.
“Before writing this book, all my memories were very fragmented.” Last year, I spent half a year writing the essay collection “Where the Heart Goes,” Ali shared the days and nights she spent buried in writing, allowing her to look back on past segments of her life from today’s perspective, and truly sorted out her own life. “When I walk Ali’s life path again like this, I find that I will understand myself a little more.”
“I don’t want to stop, I hope to maintain this balance and operation.” Time has passed, the prose has been completed, but the outside world is still in turmoil, so Ali seized the time to regain the joy of creation, allowing herself to have a clearer view of life, such as ink painting, calligraphy practice, ceramic making, etc. She shared, “I started making (art) works, without drama, I just keep searching for a better self through different ways.” Ali frankly stated that no matter what form of artistic presentation, she also sees it as a lifelong learning and understanding topic, “If my inner space expands, my tolerance for the outside world will also increase. I don’t want to stop, because if there comes a moment when I choose to stop, it means I no longer want to accept what the outside world gives me, and at that point, it means I have stopped progressing.”
Different art forms may often have a predetermined point of entry or a conventional understanding to define the subject’s spiritual beauty. However, in the current state of life art, what the form drives is no longer just the superficial structural layout, but how the creation embodies a sense of spiritual satisfaction. If there is a blank piece of paper in front of you, how would you depict the image of life art? Hopefully, in the future, we can appreciate Ali’s ease and grace, whether it’s from her pitching or every word and stroke, and feel her purest and most direct expression.
Bonjour à tous –
Hello everyone
Producer: Vicky Wai
Photography: Olivia Tsang
Videography: Andy Lee & Mandy Kan
Styling: Vicky Wai
Make up: Omix B
Hair: Ziv Lau @ il Colpo
Video Editor: Andy Lee
Editor: Carson Lin
Designer: Tanna Cheng
Wardrobe: NET-A-PORTER, Lane Crawford, Max Mara
Special Thanks: Venue provided by Whitestone Gallery ; Artwork credit to Whitestone Gallery and the artists
