Bronze sculpture Edition: 1/20

左: 61 x 64 x 50 cm. 24 x 25 1/4 x 19 5/8 in.;右: 53 x 62 x 34 cm. 20 7/8 x 24 3/8 x 13 3/8 in.

Signed in Chinese, numbered and dated on each bottom of backside
PROVENANCE
Jun Youn Sculpture Gallery, Taipei
Important Private Collection, Asia

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist and issued by Taipei Jun Youn Sculpture Gallery

In Between Tension and Ease Resides Grand Momentum
The Continuous Vitality within Tai Chi Combat

The Taichi series represents the highest artistic achievement of Ju Ming, who has grasped the subtlety and spirit of Tai Chi by practicing and understanding. Through the strength and movement of his gravers, Ju Ming incorporated the Asian philosophy of the martial art into his sculptures and blended traditional and modern aesthetics, which gained him worldwide recognition. The turning point of his Taichi series is a ground-breaking transition from “single-player moves” to “double-player combat”. The figures in combat often appear with one attacking and the other defending, between which the confrontation couples hardness and softness and bears the momentum at the critical state of movement. In this way, the series fully demonstrates the Taoist philosophy of “Yin and Yang” and “Coherent Qi,” bringing out the continuous vitality contained in Tai Chi.

The work presented in this auction, Taichi Series-Boxing, which was made in the 1990s at the height of Ju's career, is a vivid example of the artist's viewpoints on Tai Chi. The combat works created during this period are regarded as a progressive achievement of the artist, being sought after by collectors together with works like Single Whip. With a plump shape and incredible grandeur, the sculpture thoroughly elaborates on the concept of duality and is a work not to miss.

Vigorous as High Wind. Steady as Mount Tai.

The essence of Tai Chi combat lies in the confrontation between the two martial art players, coupling tension and ease, softness and hardness, as the Yin and Yang revolving around each other. Ju Ming embodies “vigor” and “steadiness,” the two major characteristics of Tai Chi, into the sculpture. The figure on the left is informed by tension. He appears a transient attacking posture, with both hands stretching forward, while one foot stepping front and the other pushing back powerfully. The opponent seems calm and steady with his center of gravity sinking low, one hand pulling back and the other hand charged with strength. The philosophy of “use softness to resist violent force” is thus visualized.

As Duality Engenders Mutual Growth, the Cycle of Vitality Continues.

With a rhythmic outline, Ju Ming elaborately brings out the invisible momentum of the warrior on the left. The figure's legs are in a full lunge, while the arms stretch forward along the direction of the straightened leg, presenting a sense of speed, as well as the strength in his legs. The opponent is shaped out of multi-faceted and large blocks. Through his balanced posture and footwork, an imposing manner that no one can resist is revealed. The two figures confronting each other resemble the polarizing forces that grow mutually. Their limbs form a point-to-point correlation of checks and balances, which turns into a flow of Qi and generates the source of vitality in the virtual space. The work thus fully embodies the concept of duality, which represents the essence of Tai Chi. Beneath the bold structure showing both speed and power, an infinite cycle of movement and interaction is vigorously thriving.

Price estimate:
HKD: 1,250,000 – 1,800,000
USD: 161,300 – 232,300

Auction Result:
HKD: 1,675,600