Bronze sculpture Edition: 19/30

34 × 22 × 21 cm. 13 3/8 × 8 5/8 × 8 1/4 in.

Signed in Chinese and numbered on the bottom of right side

LITERATURE
1990, The Sculpture of the Twelve Animals by Ju Ming, Caves Art Center, Taipei
PROVENANCE
Caves Gallery, Taipei
Acquired directly by present important private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist issued by Caves Gallery, Taipei

Sculpting from the Heart, Breathing Life into Style!
Immortal Spirit of Chinese Artistic Master Ju Ming

Chinese artist Ju Ming dedicated his life to the practice of art and sculpted nature with all his heart, an approach that enabled him to attain the heights of worldly “beauty.” As such, whether it is the diverse breadth of his work employing nativism, Taichi, or folk motifs, the artist's research into the use of wood, bronze, stone or stainless steel or his sculpting technique refinement of “form, momentum and spirit” to better understand the philosophical depth of “meaning, rhyme and reason,” Ju infused his all encompassing contemporary forms with Eastern cultural essence and embraced a plane where nature and humanity are one.

For the autumn auction we are honored to present six classic works by Ju Ming from three art series, spanning the artist's creative career from the 1970s to the 21st century. This enables us to take a comprehensive view of Ju's artistic oeuvre and showcase aesthetic achievements in the different stages of his artistic life.

Nativist Charm, a Return to Simplicity
Establishing a Name in the Art World from the 1970s-1980s

“The works of Ju Ming are rooted in Chinese culture but are also completely spontaneous. Within these deeply moving images he imbues modern Chinese sculpture with a soul.”
——English art historian Michael Sullivan

Ju Ming, was born Chu Chuan-tai in Tonghsiao Township, Miaoli. In 1938, at the age of 15 he was taught how to carve Buddha by Lee Chin-chuan and at 30 years old left work and started to study under sculptor Yuyu Yang, marking the beginning of an artistic career that lasted half a century. In 1976, Ju held his first solo exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei and through his Nativist Series established a name for himself. The artist once noted: “My artistic career has been like the growth of a tree, nativism is its roots, the Taichi series its branches.” Having grown up in rural Taiwan, in his early years Ju Ming chose such real-life motifs as young cowherds, water buffalo, pigs and goats, in which he showcased a convergence of elements from nature, folk life and tradition, to create sculpted forms that deeply resonated with viewers. These echoed the call, popular at that time, to return to a simpler past and vocally promoted by the nativist movement. Indeed, such pieces brimming with sincerity and appeal also established a path to modern sculpture, with Rabbit (Lot 24) and Twelve Chinese Zodiac–Tiger (Lot 23) being outstanding examples of this genre.

Exquisite Rabbit, Good Things Come in Pairs

When creating Rabbit, Ju Ming took a large camphor stake and crafted a layered space by employing high relief methods in the centre of the wrap-around tree growth rings. He then carved the wood, creating a rounded shape within the original square, with the top and bottom semi-circular and the sides arc-shaped. In contrast, the inner area is hollowed out and surrounded on all sides by decorative patterns such as sweet Osmanthus and auspicious clouds, as if re-presenting the myth of Wu Gang chopping an Osmanthus tree on the moon, showcasing the message “Good things come in pairs, auspicious rabbit.” The two rabbits at the centre of the work are vividly depicted, the mother rabbit on the right has piercing eyes, her ears are pricked up and feet extended, while the rabbit squatting next to her has docile flappy ears and is looking back and lifting its head, carefree and playful. Ju employs his exquisite carving technique and lifelike images to imbue the rabbits with an almost human spirit revealing through the work how moved he is by such expressions of maternal love, and the way in which he surrounds the rabbits with auspicious clouds and happy sentiments is equally moving.

Like an Awe-inspiring Winged Tiger

After Ju Ming made a name for himself in the art world with the Nativist Series of works, he built on this reputation with his new Chinese Zodiac Series in 1989. In the Chinese zodiac, the regal demeanour of the tiger makes it a synonym for bravery and strength, an idea deeply rooted in the popular mindset. This is also visible in the way the artist showcases the animal in the work Twelve Chinese Zodiac - Tiger. The fierce tiger is presented rushing down a mountain incline, its mouth wide open, with angry staring eyes, claws extended and its tail waving in the air, as if ready to pounce. Ju selects the moment at which the tiger is most explosive, right before it leaps and makes the elevated curled tail of the big cat the highest focal point for viewers. When the artist sculpted the facial features of the tiger, he deliberately avoided any detailed depiction of its demeanour, preferring to express overlapping opposites. Despite giving the tiger deeply sunken eyes Ju ingeniously presents it in an intimidating roaring pose. The body of the animal also shows marks of chiseling on blocks, highlighting its tough imperviousness. The head, body and tail of the tiger are joined as a single unit, together highlighting its “awe-inspiring” heroic bearing and manner in a way that is instantly magnificent.

Amazing Variety in the Living World
Living World Series – Lining Up with the Rare Inclusion of a Ju Ming Self Sculpture

The work Living World Series – Lining Up (Lot 25) has been well received by public museums and private collectors alike. The prototype sculpture outside Hong Kong Cultural Centre used life-sized figures waiting in line, and the same style of work was displayed and collected by Ju Ming Museum and Singapore Art Museum. The work Living World Series – Lining Up (Lot 25) being auctioned on this occasion is a rarity, a bronze piece of which there are only 10 versions that can be collected privately and presented as a table case collection. The work ingeniously captures a moment from everyday life in which a group of people queue up, utilizing a collective point of view to focus on the differences between them. Each one of the 10 figures in the queue is styled differently, there is a mother wearing brightly coloured clothes, looking around with an anxious expression on her face, a young person carrying a bag over one shoulder on his phone, and a middle-aged man reading a book who is patiently waiting. The man at the back of the line is dressed in a suit, has his hands in his pockets and is casually staring at the sky, as if not in the least perturbed by the long line. Through the combination of individual actions -- holding up an umbrella, talking on the phone or carrying a backpack -- and different postures, whether leaning backwards or forwards, Ju Ming creates a sense of uneven spaced layering, which infuses the work with a sense of real-world intimacy.

Of the individuals queued up, the man wearing the peaked cap could well be an ingenious representation of the artist himself. In this line, which represents the journey of life, Ju Ming takes his time, unhurriedly observing the people around him and capturing in detail the expressions and body language of each one, even empathetically inserting himself into the scene. Through his depiction of this small group, it is as if Ju offers the viewer a description of the boundless vagaries of life, experiencing the warmth of genuine human emotion in everyday waiting. Moreover, this also serves as a window onto the variegated life styles of the world in the mind of Ju Ming.

Price estimate:
HKD 60,000 – 100,000
USD 7,700 – 12,800