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Lot Essay
Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming has carved a prominent position in the international art scene with his Taichi Series. His works of a wide range of mediums - wood, bronze, stainless steel and Styrofoam included - are rich in Eastern spirit.
The meaning of Taichi not only rests in the form it takes, but also in the wood and scripts. Ju Ming applies both sculpting and carving in a way that allows the image of the sculpture to be unraveled one by one. (Fig. 1). Ju Ming did hand-tear the wood at some point to let it crack through the natural lines to preserve its original textures. He once said: "I have no intention to change the original status of a piece of wood; natural wood is an everlasting and organic life form with shapes and lines more beautiful than anything I could ever make".
The wood is itself a witness of life in nature, shaped by the seasons and outside environment, as evident in its grain, lines and scars. The artist employs the flat planes and textures. The texture of axe-cut strokes is one of the most significant expressions in Ju Ming's oeuvre. One can notice the similar axe-cut treatment of surfaces in Yuyu Yang's artwork (Fig. 2). Though Ju once studied under the tutelage of Yuyu Yang, he bears in mind the intrinsic qualities of the wood in order to initiate dialogues and back-and-forth movements which symbolize the spiritual concepts of yin and yang as well as continuity.
Taichi Series depicts two martial artists - one attacking one defending - in motion. The two Taichi fighters are not fiercely fighting each other; instead, a flow of easiness encourages them to learn from one another and improve their skills by engaging in a martial art 'fight'.
"Many have asked me about the connection between the Living World and the Taichi Series. I'd like to compare them to caterpillars and butterflies. They are different in appearance and form, yet both the same being."
Ju Ming's speech at Readers' Society of Commonwealth Publishing co, Nonprofit organization Juming Culture and Education Foundation, Ju Ming, Taipei, Taiwan, 2002, p. 16.
The meaning of Taichi not only rests in the form it takes, but also in the wood and scripts. Ju Ming applies both sculpting and carving in a way that allows the image of the sculpture to be unraveled one by one. (Fig. 1). Ju Ming did hand-tear the wood at some point to let it crack through the natural lines to preserve its original textures. He once said: "I have no intention to change the original status of a piece of wood; natural wood is an everlasting and organic life form with shapes and lines more beautiful than anything I could ever make".
The wood is itself a witness of life in nature, shaped by the seasons and outside environment, as evident in its grain, lines and scars. The artist employs the flat planes and textures. The texture of axe-cut strokes is one of the most significant expressions in Ju Ming's oeuvre. One can notice the similar axe-cut treatment of surfaces in Yuyu Yang's artwork (Fig. 2). Though Ju once studied under the tutelage of Yuyu Yang, he bears in mind the intrinsic qualities of the wood in order to initiate dialogues and back-and-forth movements which symbolize the spiritual concepts of yin and yang as well as continuity.
Taichi Series depicts two martial artists - one attacking one defending - in motion. The two Taichi fighters are not fiercely fighting each other; instead, a flow of easiness encourages them to learn from one another and improve their skills by engaging in a martial art 'fight'.
"Many have asked me about the connection between the Living World and the Taichi Series. I'd like to compare them to caterpillars and butterflies. They are different in appearance and form, yet both the same being."
Ju Ming's speech at Readers' Society of Commonwealth Publishing co, Nonprofit organization Juming Culture and Education Foundation, Ju Ming, Taipei, Taiwan, 2002, p. 16.