Bronze sculpture Edition: 15/16

24.5×20.5×20 cm. 9 5/8×8 1/8×7 7/8 in.

Dated, numbered and signed in Chinese on the underside
PROVENANCE
Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei
Acquired directly by present private Asian collector from the above

This work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by the artist and issued by Tina Keng Gallery, Taipei.

Guarding of Purity and Strength
The Story of Clouded Leopard by Yang Mao-Lin

Yang Mao-Lin, a graduate of Taipei National University of the Arts in 1979, uses painting, sculpture, and installation to explore the essence of Taiwanese culture through an open, playful, and profound language. In 1991, he won the inaugural Hsiungshin Prize for Fine Arts, and in 1999, the Contemporary Painting Prize of the Li Chun Shen Foundation. He participated in the Venice Biennale twice, in 1999 and 2009, with solo exhibitions that garnered international attention. In 2016, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum held a major retrospective of his work. His 2023 piece, Clouded Leopard From Formosa, is a return to simplicity and emotional depth, created at over seventy.

Embodied as a Clouded Leopard, a Search for Roots

The "clouded leopard" is a native species of Taiwan steeped in folklore. And before 1949, Taiwan's name was Formosa, derived from Portuguese sailors who, upon discovering the island, exclaimed, "Ilha Formosa" (Beautiful Island). Both the indigenous Clouded leopard and the history of Formosa symbolize the people's connection to and love for their homeland.

In this work, Yang presents a young clouded leopard in bronze, strong yet graceful. With delicate points and curves, the artist highlights the leopard's distinctive cloud patterns, expertly capturing its unique features. The leopard's tail curves gently, as if swaying with life, showcasing Yang's precise observation and craftsmanship.

The clouded leopard is a recurring motif in Yang's work. In his 1991-1994 series Yun Mountain Memorandum, the leopard symbolized the history of the Taiwanese people; in the 2020 series The Lasting Spring and Inviting the Immortals, it represented local customs and the land's guardian spirits. This piece, however, is the only one in which the clouded leopard stands alone, without additional symbols, reflecting a personal introspection. Yang believes, "To truly understand ourselves and the land, we must begin with our earliest ancestors." While his early clouded leopard works explored connections to the land and ancestors, this piece marks his return to the self-he sees himself as the indigenous clouded leopard of this beautiful island, filled with a pure, unwavering love for his homeland and a search for eternal ideals.

Price estimate:
HKD 40,000 - 80,000
USD 5,100 - 10,300