Wooden sculpture

30 × 16 × 17 cm. 11 3/4 x 6 1/4 x 6 3/4 in.

Signed in Chinese and dated on bottom left of the front
PROVENANCE
Important Private Collection, Asia

Buddha Hides in the Tree, Hermit Carves the Spirit
Hsiao Yi's Art of Wood

Hsiao Yi was born in Chiayi in 1956, and he started learning traditional wood carving in Pingtung back to 17 years old. Taiwu in Pingtung is the living community of Paiwan and Rukai people, who make wood carving for generations. It is also known as the “town of wood carving”, and its solid condition influences Hsiao as well, guiding him to become an artist. He seeks neither fame nor wealth, yet has special understanding about the traditional Buddhism carving. He focuses on the theme, and is good at abstracting the life experience, thinking about the contradiction between humanity and Buddhism nature. In 1981, his talent gets him a solo exhibition in a famous Taipei gallery, the Spring Fine Arts Gallery. Ju Ming is another well-known artist who held exhibition there. Thus we can see both of them are new stars in the world of carving. The work, Dharma, created in 1987 is a devoted work of him.

Artist cuts the surface of the wood, and carves with the internal. The protagonist Dharma has beard, bulging forehead. The feeling of mighty and god-like probably results from its Shaolin school provenance. His eyes are torch-like, and his smile is subtle. It seems that he is listening to the sound of the world. There are wrinkles on his face, and the stories of the wrinkles echo the stories of the wood. Every piece of those irregular sections indicates the breath and stops in the creation, and artist's internal understanding of the truth of Dharma. It is said that during the Northern and Southern dynasties, Dharma and the emperor of Liang have no common ground in a conversation. Therefore, Dharma closed the Shaolin Temple of Northern Wei, then he crossed the river and started meditation. There was no sight of him ever since, and then he finally became a master. On the basis of these, Hsiao intends to carve the image of Dharma into the cave-like hollow. The surrounding wood hides his cheek, sets the distance and makes it harder to touch, which is an interpretation of the hermetic and secluded life of the master. Hsiao uses humanity to explain the Buddhism and Zen, which reflects his transcendent spiritual achievement.

Price estimate:
HKD: 12,000 – 22,000
USD: 1,500 – 2,800

Auction Result:
HKD: 14,160