THE hometown of sculptor Li Chuhui is the same as that of Mo Yan, the 2012 Nobel Prize Winner in Literature — Gaomi in Shandong Province — which inspires fantasy whether in words or fiber glass.

“I am always interested in finding the scenario of a certain moment in my sculptures,” Li says. “I try to unveil a story behind my works.”

Born in 1978, Li graduated from the sculpture department of the Fine Arts College of Shanghai Normal University.

He was tutored by Xiang Jing, a pioneering sculptor widely known for her vivid depiction of the fragile femininity of young girls.

“I started to understand that technique and skill were not as critical as I had originally thought. A good sculptor needs to control the story of the figures and present their inner feelings,” he says.

In his view, a piece of illusion — such as his works and Mo Yan’s magical realism — can still be convincing and compelling if the artist fuses his life experience into the work itself.

One of his sculptures depicts a man standing in front of his car next to a lawn. But he stares upward, his gaze is lost in the sky where he seems to seek answers to his troubles.

Those who have seen his sculptures are quick to be taken by them.

“I guess many see a shadow of themselves through these figures,” Li says. “Some people ask whether I am depicting myself, but I’m not.

“I’m reflecting certain frozen moments in urban life — the people, their pain, hopes and yearnings.”

But it is easier said than done.

Unlike filmmakers and writers, a sculptor cannot use narrative or changing surroundings to tell a story. The moment that inspired or accompanies his work is frozen in silence.

His friends, colleagues and classmates, and strangers, become his subjects.

“The more you observe and talk with ordinary people, the more you unveil the secret of life,” Li says.

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Born in 1978 in Gaomi, Shandong Province

Graduated from the sculpture department of the Fine Arts College at Shanghai Normal University

Teaches at Shanghai Normal University

Works collected by Liu Haisu Art Museum, Xuhui Art Museum and private collectors in East Asia and Switzerland