Ju Ming

Ju Ming ( ; 20 January 1938 – 22 April 2023) was a Taiwanese sculptor who attained fame in his native country in the 1970s, and then in New York City in 1983. Ju was trained as a woodcarver, and apprenticed to Lee Chinchuan as a teenager. He developed his skill and applied it to a range of media, including bronze, styrofoam, ceramics, and stainless steel. In 1959, Ju moved back to Tunghsiao and opened his own studio with apprentices, creating a successful crafts business that left him dissatisfied. Ju became more artistic and tried innovative techniques. He married Chen Fu-mei, also from Tunghsiao, three years later. After winning several awards in the prestigious Taiwan Provincial Art Exhibition, Ju felt that he could only develop further as a sculptor if he re-apprenticed himself, this time to Yang Yuyu, who himself had only just returned from a three-year art scholarship in Rome. Yang agreed, impressed by "Ju's flowing lines through the natural grain of the wood, the form executed with such an assured gentleness and humility." In 1976, Ju took up tai chi on Yang's advice to develop physical and mental discipline. He developed greatly from this practice and started thinking about sculpting works on the theme of tai chi, which had never been done before.…

Ju Ming ( ; 20 January 1938 – 22 April 2023) was a Taiwanese sculptor who attained fame in his native country in the 1970s, and then in New York City in 1983. Ju was trained as a woodcarver, and apprenticed to Lee Chinchuan as a teenager. He developed his skill and applied it to a range of media, including bronze, styrofoam, ceramics, and stainless steel. In 1959, Ju moved back to Tunghsiao and opened his own studio with apprentices, creating a successful crafts business that left him dissatisfied. Ju became more artistic and tried innovative techniques. He married Chen Fu-mei, also from Tunghsiao, three years later. After winning several awards in the prestigious Taiwan Provincial Art Exhibition, Ju felt that he could only develop further as a sculptor if he re-apprenticed himself, this time to Yang Yuyu, who himself had only just returned from a three-year art scholarship in Rome. Yang agreed, impressed by "Ju's flowing lines through the natural grain of the wood, the form executed with such an assured gentleness and humility." In 1976, Ju took up tai chi on Yang's advice to develop physical and mental discipline. He developed greatly from this practice and started thinking about sculpting works on the theme of tai chi, which had never been done before. Ju's solo exhibition occurred in March at the National Museum of History in Taipei due to Yang Yu-yu convincing the museum authorities to show his student's pieces. It was highly successful and he was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Youths of 1976. From 1980, Ju continued to gain international acclaim and exhibited abroad. He started The Living World "family", which he continued to expand. These bright figures are made of bronze, stainless steel, painted wood, foam rubber and cast bronze, giving him the freedom to depict the human form in all its varieties. Another is Ju's Living World series, depicting figures drawn from a modern, westernized society. Much of his work is housed at the Ju Ming Museum, just outside Taipei. The museum was built at the artist's expense, and is open to the public. Ju was awarded the 18th Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize in 2007.

Awards and honors

1966– Attractive to Each Other. Ju was awarded the excellence-for-sculpture prize at the 21st Taiwan Art Exhibition. 1967– Long Separation. Ju was awarded third prize for sculpture in the 22nd Taiwan Art Exhibition. 1976 Arts Award from the Chinese Cultural Arts Association. 1976 Recognized as one of the Ten Outstanding Young Persons from Taiwan by the Junior Chamber of Commerce International. 1976 The National Award of Literature and Arts from the National Culture and Arts Foundation of Ministry of Education. 1998 Accolades for a life's work and his contributions to the arts from Fok Yin Tung Award From The Fok Yin Tung Foundation Of Hong Kong. 2000 Ju Ming Museum won the 14th Tokyo Creative Award, Foreign Award. 2002 The Enku Grand Award in Gifu, Japan. 2003 An Honorary Degree of Doctor of Art At Fu Jen Catholic University at Taipei. 2004 The Lifetime Executive Yuan Cultural Award. The Executive Yuan Cultural Award is to honor a person who has made special contributions towards maintaining or enhancing culture. It is a lifetime achievement award, and the highest award in Taiwan for a cultural figure. The President of the Executive Yuan, You Si-Kun, awarded the medal and certificate to Ju Ming. He also lauded the way Ju Ming had turned his life experience into artistic achievement, combining life and art and integrating art and culture into life through his works. We can feel Ju Ming's curiosity and love of life in his works. Chen Ci-Nan praised Ju Ming as "a genuine and unique world artist from the land of Taiwan. "This award," he went on, was to salute "the leader of the world of sculpture." 2007 The 18th Fukuoka Asian Culture Prize, Art and Cultures Prize.

Gallery

Image:Living World.jpg|Living World by Ju Ming. Permanent outdoor exhibit at the National Museum of Singapore Image:'Taichi Thrust', bronze sculpture by Ju Ming (Taiwan), 1990, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel.jpg|Taichi Thrust, bronze sculpture by Ju Ming, 1990, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Tel Aviv, Israel Image:JuMingStatue 20071110.jpg|Statue in Exchange Square by Ju Ming Image:Ju-ming-taichi-arch.jpg|Taichi Arch by Ju Ming Image:Ju Ming Museum 01.jpg|The Juming Museum Image:CUHK Gate01.jpg|Gate of Wisdom at the Chinese University of Hong Kong

See also

Ju Ming Museum Tai Chi Single Whip, Victoria Square, Montreal

References

External links

Juming Museum Ju Ming Taichi and Ceramics at Plum Blossoms gallery Ju Ming Taichi series sculptures at Buschlen Mowatt gallery Ju Ming Living World series sculptures at the Singapore Art Museum (2004) Ju Ming at Alisan Gallery (Hong Kong) Chinese Tradition and Modernity in Metal Sculpture ArtNet article on Ju Ming, with list of exhibitions. ThingsAsian article on Ju Ming Solo exhibition of Ju Ming's Living World series: White Painted Sculptures and Collages Painting 17.11.2008 – 06.12.2008 (Singapore)

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