Living World Series

From the late 1980s onwards, Ju Ming gradually shifted his focus from the Taichi Series to the Living World Series. Using an array of different materials, including wood, stone, stainless steel, and bronze, Ju captured scenes from daily life as seen through artist's eyes. Living World Series (Lot 41) depicts a pair of seated figures carved from stone, suggesting the likeness of two neighbourhood characters from a small town in rural Taiwan, perched on a street-side bench. Ju Ming makes use of the stone's natural features, carving deep lines to add a lively expressiveness to the work. Bold areas of black and white paint contrast against the natural colour of the stone, adding dimensionality to the characters' clothing and attributes, and bringing the pair to life.
Ju Ming's early interest in the native culture of Taiwan, his dedication to cultivating the spirit of Taichi, and his return to studying everyday life demonstrates the artist's commitment to capturing his observations of everyday scenes. As Ju's teacher Yang Yingfeng once commented, "The constant evolution of Ju Ming's practice is a kind dynamic change, and reflects his approach towards the reality of life."