BOOTH | BB04

ARTISTS | JU Ming, LI Chen

DATES | 01.19 – 01.21, 2024

VENUE | MBS: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Level 1 & Basement 2 (10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956)

VIP PREVIEW |
01.18 (Thu) 14:00 – 17:00

VERNISSAGE |
01.18 (Thu) 17:00 – 21:00

PUBLIC ACCESS |
01.19 (Fri) 12:00 – 19:00
01.20 (Sat) 11:00 – 19:00
01.21 (Sun) 11:00 – 17:00

Asia Art Center is pleased to present the works of two globally acclaimed sculptors hailing from the Chinese-speaking world at ART SG 2024, Ju Ming and Li Chen. Sharing the unique honor of being the only two Taiwanese sculptors ever invited to host solo exhibitions at Singapore Art Museum at different times (Ju in 2004, Li in 2009), their artistic contributions are significantly influential in shaping the landscape of contemporary art within the Chinese-speaking community. This year, our joint exhibition at booth BB04 features the most iconic works by the two renowned artists, including Ju Ming’s Taichi Series, Taichi Series–Taichi Arch, Living World Series–Ballet, Li Chen’s series of Spiritual Journey through the Great Ether, and the works on paper from Ethereal Cloud. Notably, ART SG marks the Singapore debut showcase of The Mundane World, the latest addition to Spiritual Journey through the Great Ether. Through curatorial efforts, Asia Art Center aims to provide a comprehensive context for the artistic journeys of both artists and to illustrate their importance within the sphere of contemporary sculpture in the Chinese-speaking world.

Asia Art Center has a longstanding commitment to exploring modern and contemporary art in the Chinese-speaking world, with a particular focus on developments since the postwar era. At the core of this exploration lies the concept of “the new Eastern spirit.” Dating back to the early 20th century, the investigation and expression of this idea have been integral to the artistic pursuits of numerous Chinese-speaking and ethnic Chinese artists. Initially originating from a sense of unease about identity and self-identification, this discourse has since evolved to encompass dialogic relationships between concepts and innovative forms relevant to contemporary artistic media. This perspective on the “new Eastern” goes beyond the mere reconciliation of Eastern and Western paradigms. It delves into a deeper introspective process—a dialectical method for examining one’s own position(ing) and circumstances while considering diverse cultural and knowledge backgrounds. The art of Ju Ming and Li Chen beautifully embody the “new Eastern spirit” cultivated across different eras. Through their creations, we look forward to a fresh exploration of our contemporary understanding of the “new Eastern” at ART SG 2024.

Artists and Works on Display

Ju Ming (1938-2023)

We are pleased to present the art of Ju Ming, a sculptor of unparalleled prominence in the Chinese-speaking world. This exhibition features several pivotal series from his extensive career, with a central focus on Taichi Series and accompanied by pieces from Taichi Series–Taichi Arch and Living World Series–Ballet. In 1976, Ju Ming had his first solo exhibition at the National Museum of History in Taipei. His strong sense of humanistic concern and the rugged, chiseled characteristics of his work immediately garnered widespread attention, making him a significant symbol amidst waves of cultural movements in the 1970s calling to revisit and revive native Taiwanese cultures. Taichi Series originated in the mid-1970s when Ju Ming became fascinated with the practice of Taichi, initially motivated by the improvement of physically well-being. Over time, the artist delved deeply into the fundamental essence of Taichi, transforming it into distinctive artistic expressions that also came to embody his life philosophy. Moreover, the debut of Taichi Series in 1977 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum received international academic acclaim, which firmly established Ju Ming’s artistic significance in the field of sculpture. His later work, Taichi Series–Taichi Arch, could be seen as the grand finale that perfects his “Taichi Series. Starting with copper, the medium evolved as the artist embraced stone as his material of choice along the journey. The unique characteristics and the irreversible nature of stone’s materiality further magnified the unrefined authenticity of Ju Ming’s sculptural language. Named after an “arch”, the series in fact sought to encapsulate the quintessential quality of “neither releasing nor resisting” in a dual Taichi dance, and to translate it artistically into a form of extreme abstraction. On the other hand, Living World Series–Ballet was meant to be a chapter within the larger Living World Series which Ju Ming initially developed during the 1980s. In contrast to Taichi Series, Living World Series placed a greater emphasis on portraying the diverse aspects of ordinary life in the everyday world. In 1986, a major solo exhibition featuring Living World Series was held at the Singapore History Museum (former National Museum of Singapore), where one of his artworks was acquired and installed in the museum’s plaza through a fundraising campaign initiated by citizens.

Li Chen (1963-)

Li Chen, an accomplished artist from the middle-age generation, established his influential presence in contemporary Asian sculpture as early as 1999 through his iconic sculptural style known as “Monumental Levity.” Since then, his exceptional talent has garnered invitations for exhibitions across cities on the international stage. In 2007, Li Chen is the first artist from the Chinese-speaking world in a century to be invited for a solo exhibition at the esteemed 52nd Venice Biennale, while his solo exhibition Li Chen: Mind · Body · Spirit at National Gallery Singapore in 2009 marks another important milestone. At ARTSG 2024 this year, we are delighted to present Li Chen’s most celebrated series of Spiritual Journey through the Great Ether as an introductory chapter, alongside works on paper from Ethereal Cloud. Moreover, the latest Mundane World series with four new pieces—Invisible Thing, Pompousness, The Throne of Mine, and Catching the Wind—provides insights into the artist’s inspiration and contemplation throughout the process of artistic creation. Li’s commentary on the Mundane World encapsulates its spirit: “A return to humanity, arising from the paradox in elegance.” While this latest series builds upon the aesthetics of “Monumental Levity” and incorporates the ink-black element seen in his previous works, its figures exude a carefree and ethereal flair that subtly alludes to the worldly burdens they carry. It is only after experiencing the highs and lows of life’s various phases that the artist has come to realize that the deepest complexities of one’s inner world often remain concealed beneath the surface.