SHAPED was first presented as Li’s second solo exhibition in London, curated by Vanessa Murrell and Martin Mayorga of DATEAGLE Art. Centred on three altered chair sculptures, the exhibition unfolded as a mixed-media installation activated by a 30-minute live performance, alongside a scent, a soundscape, and a video installation created in collaboration with creatives across different disciplines. The work examines the monotonous urban cycle of moving from work to bar and then home — a routine that reflects the repetitive rhythms endured by many city office workers.

Continuing Li’s ongoing investigation into the relationship between the human body and design — particularly emotional discomfort and bodily gesture — three classic chair designs are re-engineered to introduce physical and psychological unease. At Work distorts the 1930s Brno chair to force a submissive, forward-leaning posture reminiscent of the ancient Chinese custom of kowtow. At Bar replaces the solid pole of a Crescent bar stool with a steel spring, mimicking the instability of nightlife. At Home, from the Exhaustion series, reinterprets Giotto Stoppino’s Cobra chair with an inflatable seat that slowly deflates under the sitter’s weight, symbolising burnout. Positioned on 120 × 120 cm square plinths — just under the minimum amount of personal space — the chairs and performers are deliberately exposed, creating an intimate viewing distance for the audience.

The installation is activated through a 30-minute semi-improvised performance choreographed in collaboration with Olive Hardy. Three performers embody distinct personas shaped by their assigned chair, rotating between roles as if on autopilot. As repetition continues, discomfort accumulates and the cycle gradually tips into disorder and collapse.
Active Breeze, created with incense maker Junior Adesanya, combines natural oils with an industrial scent that evokes artificial attempts to mask unpleasant environments. Angel Landscape, produced with musician Magnus Brandt, blends recordings of London traffic and conversation into a filtered soundscape resembling subdued white noise. The moving-image work Metropolitan Rhythm extends the performance into film, revealing the choreography of repetition that structures contemporary urban life.