Acrylic， ink and colour on paper

32 × 32 cm. 12 1/2 x 12 1/2 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated with one artist’s seal on bottom left
PROVENANCE
Private collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certification of authenticity issued by Caves Gallery, Taipei

Juming and the Legendary Taichi Series – World Renowned Chinese Sculptor
Juming was 30-years-old when he first entered the studio of renowned post-war Taiwan sculptor Yang Ying-feng as a student in 1968. After seven years of studying and learning much more about material sculpting techniques, Juming became adept at harmoniously integrating spirituality and humanity in his works. As a result, he developed a sculpting style that was imbued with vivid charm and unified spirituality-humanity. At the same time, because Juming was physically thin and frail looking Yang Yingfeng encouraged him to take up Taichi as a way of building up his physique. In this way, became familiar with the moves of traditional Chinese Taichi and in the late 1970s created his renowned Taichi Series, which was deeply influenced by the traditional Confucian and Taoist philosophy of China. After its first exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei in 1976, the Taichi Series received international acclaim.
Over the past 30 years, as Juming has consistently changed and sought perfection, these works have become one of the most instantly recognizable images of modern Chinese sculpture. They have also made Juming famous around the world, the first Chinese artist to become an internationally renowned sculptor.
On this occasion the Autumn auction includes three works by Juming: Taichi Series – Turn Stomp （1992）, Taichi Series （1995） and Taichi Series - Underarm Strike （1995） – These pieces perfectly showcase the artistic language of the artist as he constantly changed and matured the Taichi Series in the 1990s. In this way, viewers can not only enjoy Juming using different materials as he pursues perfection, but also gain a more comprehensive understanding of the philosophy that informs his work – whether the combination of spirituality and humanity in wood sculptures, the coexistence of hardness and softness in bronze Taichiu sculptures or the wonderful rhyme of the pieces achieved through the intriguing balance of movement and motionlessness.
Grand and Majestic: The Life Energy of Wooden Taichi Sculptures
Turn Stomp is one of the few Taichi moves that requires speed and explosiveness, making it technically very difficult. The practitioner is required to stand on one leg, turn his or her body and kick the other leg, with a focus on coordinating the limbs and remaining balanced. Created in 1992, Taichi Series – Turn Stomp was guided by the creative concepts of “speed” and “instinct” and represents a break from rational thought. Instead, Juming takes this kinetic energy and shape and crafts them into the perfect expression of an explosive moment.
The shape and structure of the work is extremely simple, retaining only the imposing bulk made up of clearly defined blocks, attached to each other and rotating. Juming sculpts the right leg, which is stood on the ground and slightly bent, so that it is thick and sturdy. In contrast, the elevated left leg is more delicate, an indication of the speed with which it is raised. The right arm is held down calmly while the left arm is thrust across the chest and imbued with a sense of strength. Precisely capturing the moment at which the left leg is lifted to attack together with the clear defined positional combination of the limbs, allows the artist to showcase the perfect combination of speed and strength. By removing formal details this work showcases how Juming focuses on “stripping away” and “accumulation” in his creatively mature period in the 1990s. In this context, “stripping away” refers to the artist's preference for simplicity over complexity, while retaining the most fundamental elements. “Accumulation” refers to the organic composition of each block, forming different Taichi moves and highlighting a unique abstract structural aesthetic. This showcases the grand majesty of the Taichi Series but also details how Juming makes the spiritual essence of Western modern sculpture an integral part of his works.
It was the special essence and meaning of wood that made it Juming's medium of choice when he started the Taichi Series in the 1970s. Wood is cultivated and grows over time, its patterns, knots and scars record all challenges of life and its appearance is the product of the seasons. At the same time, the spiritual essence of Taichi is based on physical training and practice, emphasizing Mankind's return to a natural state, while copying the interconnected harmony and truth of nature. As the artist follows the original pattern, shape and dynamism of the wood, tearing away the layers, he also engages in a dialogue with nature and life, ensuring each piece has its own unique appeal and value.
Balance in All Things: Bronze Taichi Bursting with Energy
When compared to the simple honesty of wooden sculpture, the bronze works Taichi Series and Taichi Series - Underarm Strike created in 1995 transcend the limitations of natural material to craft a body language that is more fluid. At the same time, the hard metallic texture of bronze is in many ways closer to the abstract expressionism of modern rationalism while emphasizing the powerful flow of energy.
In the Taichi Series the undulating axe-cut like layering on the inside of the body details the ups and downs of the surface of the work, an imposing boldness of vision akin to a cliff face. The eked patterns are contrasted against the simple shape of the piece, enhancing the sense of speed and substance, while drawing attention to the dynamism and speed of movement even though stationary. It also brings to mind the modernist style of cubism and futurism in Duchamps' Nude Descending a Staircase.
The posture depicted in Taichi Series - Underarm Strike can be traced to the “cross hands” move in Taichi. This reflects great composure, with the practitioner holding out his or her arms at the side, forming the shape of a cross, the right leg stepping forward and the left leg slightly bent. The large geometric shaped blocks create a solid lower body as if breathing and observing changes in the situation, arms and legs embracing nature as the embodiment of Taichi series. The carved marks on the surface of the work create what appear to be the changes in the folds and creases of clothing and the simple shape of the piece retains a sense of motion.
Intriguing Paper Variations
Despite the increased international fame of the Taichi Series, Juming's artistic exploration has continued apace, as can be seen by his Living World series based on his observations and thoughts on modern life. The artist has also applied this approach to various media, including his well-received colored ink on paper pieces. In the work Love Each Other, Juming presents two simple abstract white cranes. In this, his brushwork has a hint of graffiti about it and reflects his consistently forthright and sincere personality, the round bodies of the birds reminiscent of the softened edges and corners in his sculptures, an open-minded approach to points of harmony in life hidden within. In Three Beauties, Juming's brown strokes depict the outline of a human face that appears to be almost a paper variation of the bold cutting stokes in his Taichi sculptures. Indeed, the highly saturated florescent pigment and sky-blue paint speak to Juming's efforts to escape the calm steadfastness of his sculptures. Indeed, this experimentation with appealing collisions of color is perhaps the best testament to the way in which his childlike innocence allows him to wander the world of art.

Price estimate:
HKD: 5,000 - 10,000
USD: 600 - 1,300

Auction Result:
HKD : 5,900