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Sentimental and soft, emerging Chinese artist Le Kejun (b. 1963) photographs familiar characters and lives of the rural village people of the Henan province, replete with whimsical humor and quiet tone. In "Rural Folks No. 13"(2010) Kejun captures a farm hand cheerfully laughing as he poses ironically with his ass, appearing proud, carefree, and unassuming despite his simple lifestyle. This displayed donkey stands still and unaware, ready to go about his daily repetitious routine. As customary to Kejun's techniques, he slightly exaggerates and distorts his figures to enhance the comical qualities of his characters, utilizing a more contemporary method of photo manipulation. This work measures 31.5 x 47.24 inches (80 x 120 cm) is a limited edition of 9, and is unframed in excellent condition.

Born during the Cultural Revolution Kejun is familiar with the changing landscape of the Chinese countryside. He transfers the common traditions, relaxed lifestyle, and ubiquitous familiarity with one another into his photographs. His subjects live without fear, stress, and chaos of the concrete modern cities, living in bliss and simplicity as common workers and farmhands. With his antique tinted colors, Le Kejun expresses a nostalgia for the disappearing small communities and reminds viewers of what we have all gained and lost.

Li Kejun was born in Kaifeng, Henan province in China, and is now a photographer for Kaifeng Daily, as well as a Member of China Photographers Association. He has had two solo exhibitions at the Pingyao International Photography Festival, and at the Toronto Photography Festival in Canida, and group exhibitions at the Henan Museum, Guan Shanyue Art Meuseu, The Shengda Art Museum, and many more.