Ink and colour on paper

63.5×48 cm. 25×18 7/8 in

Stamped with one artist’s seal on middle right
PROVENANCE
Private Collection, Asia

Explore Contemporary Aesthetic Values
through the Nourishment
of Chinese Tradition
The Oriental Aesthetics
of Ju Ming
Among contemporary Asian artists, Ju Ming, in his venerable age, is one of the few with international reputation and influence. Of Ju Ming’s work, Michael Sullivan, an art historian from Oxford University, commented：
“The achievement of Ju Ming is not only about the magnificent power and beauty his works present. More importantly, he has found, in his own cultural heritage, a natural source for the creation of a formal language that is both contemporary and Chinese.” The work being discussed here is the widely known Taichi series, which has brought Ju Ming international recognition and distinguished him from other Chinese artists.
Taichiquan, as a time-honored Chinese martial art, makes it a principle to conduct ’qi’ from the heart then move the body with the ’qi’, reaching the combination of hardness and softness. It is viewed as a spiritual symbol of the blend of Chinese Taoism and Confusion philosophy, from which Ju Ming absorbed nourishment for art creation and adopted the technique which does not pursue the exquisite realization but the combination of emptiness and solidness. Thus, his sculpture embodies a variety of Taichi movements, representing a circle of ’qi’ and force moving from inside towards outside then finally back to the inside. Apart from showing the unprecedented contemporary aesthetics, the sculpture of Ju Ming also echoes the allegorical story, Dismember an Ox as Skillful as a Butcher, for the spirit that practice leads to confidence and perfection.
Unrestrained from the figurative form to reach the minimalist style
In the bronze sculpture Turn-Stomp, Ju Ming carved out the moment with instinct and speed when the figure’s body is drawn backward by two wielding arms, standing on the slightly bent right leg and driving the left leg away. In the way of modeling, he separated himself from the restraint of figurative form. Instead of following the Taichiquan movements realistically, Ju Ming depicted the Taichi spirit with the most concise and comprehensive posture, perfectly illustrating the charm of subtraction in sculpture.
Even if the size is not big, the incomparable power bared inside fully conveys the value of Taichiquan that the weak can defeat the strong. It is not hard to see that the imposing manner shown in Ju Ming’s work arises not only from the size but also from his deep understanding of Taichi movement. Through the rhythm and tactile appeal of his work, Ju Ming presents us the connection between hardness and softness, movement and stillness, curves and straightness, seemingly contradictory while actually compatible with each other. His personality, his art, and his soul stand in great solidarity, showing his equivalent pursuits of Tao and art.
In addition to sculpture, Ju Ming also depicts local customs and practices frequently observed from everyday life in his painting, such as the two color ink works, Crab, and Watermelon. In a few strokes, the figures are vividly depicted. The deliberately strengthened hue in small areas further enhanced the contrast and visual impact of the image. Abundant in simple and unadorned taste out from children’s eyes, in front of which a smile of the viewer arises spontaneously, these two works have shown the artist’s attempt and effort to master the diverse medium of art.

Price estimate:
HKD: 10, 000 - 15, 000
USD: 1, 300 - 1, 900

Auction Result:
HKD: 11,800