但願人長久 Wishing Us Long Life

I am very attracted to some concepts which are almost too big to deal with, such as: Time. I would not force myself to touch it, though, let alone to analyse it, to design how to express Time through arts...etc.. I dislike using analytical mind and thoughts to start my artwork. I enjoy letting it flow to me, effortlessly. So, I usually do not understand fully my artworks until they are finished. When it first came to me, it cames as a vague idea, with blurry outline. And along the process, like lotus, it slowly opens up its petals and finally shows its full picture to me.



And that is the case with 但願人長久 (Wishing Us Long Life). It first came to me as a ticking clock, and developed itself into the highs and lows of life segments, with reflections of memories and stories.

The name comes from the famous poem by the great Chinese poet So Tung Po in 1076. His poem lingered in my mind when I was sculpting this piece.

How rare the moon so round and clear!
With cup in hand, i ask of the blue sky,
I do not know in the celestial sphere
What name this festival night goes by?
I want to fly home, riding the air,
But fear the ethereal cold up there,
The jade and crystal mansions are so high!
Dancing to my shadow,
I feel no longer the mortal tie.
She rounds the vermilion tower,
Stoops to silk pad doors,
Shines on those who sleepless lie.
Why does she, bearing us no grudge，
Shine upon our parting, reunion deny?
But rare is perfect happiness
The moon does wax, the moon does wane,
And so men meet and say goodbye.
I only pray our life be long,
And our souls together heavenward fly!
(Translated by 林語堂)

Second Solo Exhibition

Busy for my second Solo Exhibition, BORN AFFECTIONATE 儂本多情, to be held from Oct 10th to 27th, at Gallery by the Harbour, Shop 207, Level 2, Ocean Centre, Harbour City, Tsimshatsui.

Enquiry: 23191992/enquiry@sculpture.com.hk

***Photos from the show

My teacher, sculptor Chu Tat Shing.


Movie Star Simon Yim and my Tai Chi teacher, Master Chung Wen Yuen







Guests at the Opening Reception.






Movie Star couples Lau Ching Wan & Amy Kwok

Abstract Sculpture

Recently I am working on some abstract forms.


Working on abstract form requires mathematical calculation and a rational mind.

The sculpting part is not as fun as that of realistic figures. But the design work is fun.


To design a form is easy, especially by using computer 3D software. But to design a form that attracts the eyes and talks to the mind is a challenge.


A friend made a very convenient foam cutting tool for me. Better than any foam cutter I found on market. A good tool makes life so much easier.

Repatination For My First Solo

This year I've been practising patination. I like using hot patination for the color shows faster and stays better. I was having much fun with it. I re-patinated The Skin series, Riding On Desire, The Swing Under the Sun. I may repatinate She is Waiting very soon.

I think by giving different colors and even patterns to bronze makes them look more interesting and contemporary. I will experiment with more.






I shall upload more new patinated works sooner.

All these works plus more will be shown at my solo exhibition, "七年滋養 - 雕塑是怎樣玩出來的" , to be held from Jan 8 to 15 Feb, 2009 at Neuberg ArtSpace, JCCAC. Some of the interesting part of making sculptures will also be exhibited in the show.



The honor guest, my teacher Chu Tat Shing celebrated with champion.

Eddie Liu, CEO of JCCAC.


The happy team

Whisper of Youth 青春的唇語

Ever since I was a kid, I had the weird habit of focusing on people's lips when they talked. Maybe it was because I unconsciously avoid looking them in their eyes for I felt tense and embarrassed as if I would share unwanted intimacy by having direct eye contact. The lips, on the other hand, are a more soothing substitute. The many small muscles give away the owner's secret emotion, but not demanding for mine.

As a result, I became very familiar to all shapes of lips and was fascinated by even the smallest, unnoticed lip movement. Lips could be so sensual and seductive without even uttering a word. And the lips whispering the desire for love are the most attractive.




Whisper of Youth is 50cmx50cmx50cm, larger than most of my other works. I had it in both fiber glass and bronze.

皮囊系列 The Skin Series

I agree with the famed Chinese painter 吳冠中's saying that art comes from illusions (or illusion is one of the main source). Sometimes when our senses are a bit lazy, a little blurred, not working so brightly and clearly, our minds tend to complete the picture by suggesting something from a source hiding deep within. It creates an illusion, which in many cases can be transformed into an art piece. We sometimes call that inspirations. (That reminds me of how in Buddhism we are encouraged to cease our five senses in order to reach higher state of mind)



The new series definitely comes from illusion. One day when I was working on my other piece, I sat back to look from a distance. My eyes were blurred, my body was tired,I stretchecd my arms and turned my head and there I saw, in another chair at the side, was my leather bag sitting there like a thick piece of skin. I was astonished and caught by the way it swelled and deflated, expanded and creased. That's exactly how I would depict skin in sculpture, instead of a drooping flat piece. 　

While retaining most parts of our physical appearances, the "human" in motion was given a strange twist to suggest the otherwise,a skin dwelling (臭皮囊).

So here there are: The Dreamer(AKA The Big Dream)(夢中人）, Dance Dance Dance（歡樂時光） and At Your Service（鞠躬盡瘁.)





P.S. I've made two more for the series.

Riding on Desire 騎著慾望的女人

From "She is Waiting...", comes "Riding on Desire". Now she mounted her snake-like twisting horse, heading off towards a direction her desires led. She seemed a bit perplexed, trying to adjust herself to the beats of the twisting movements.

If her horse was a snake, it was a snake with no head and tail. It just kept rolling and rolling in unpredictably fluidity. She did not even realize how she had mounted it. It seemed just rising from nowhere, or it was just growing out from the inside of her.

This sculpture, The Kowtow Suit and A Swing Under the Sun will be exhibited at the JCCAC Pre-Opening Thematic Exhibition II from 20 - 30 Dec 2007. Please visit http://net3.hkbu.edu.hk/~jccac/ for details.

She Is Waiting....(2007 Collection)

She is waiting...a whole year. Now altogether six of them, all in bronze, beautifully patinated. The first girl was even casted in glass as shown above.



>






All pictures are taken by Ryan,my husband. Thank you!

** The series is exhibited at the Neuberg ArtSpace, starting from 26 Sept, 2008.

She is Waiting...她在等...

Usually when I finished one sculpture, I move right on to the next one without much sentimental attachment. Even if my original plan was to do a series, I tend to give up after the first one and have no interest left to explore it more. Doing one is doing all. I will jump to my next inspiration right away.

But this girl seized me back. Something drew my attention back to her again and again. I can almost smell the faint quivering breath hidding in her gentle curves. I don't know where did it come from. But this is the one that I need to explore more.

She is also the first one that I made directly with plaster. I feel quite comfortable working this way.

** She is Waiting (Bronze) was presented as an inaugural present to Mr. Donald Tsang at the Opening Ceremony of JCCAC in 2008.

A Swing under the Sun 太陽下的一球

"Since when did Chairman Mao ever play golf?" giggled my mom. "No too long ago," I said," not too long"


These were patinated in 2009.

Lots of fun patinated the Maos. He's now so fashionable!

All the ten Maos were sold in 2009.

She's a Beauty 唐美人

It's hard to imagine that once upon a time in China, fat women were considered beautiful. Imperial Concubine Yang (楊貴妃 718A.D. - 755 A.D.) must be the fattest one among the long list of all Chinese concubines. I wonder how fat she actually was. Too bad that there's never a record of her official weight.

Threesome Experiment

A little experiment with three heads. Each with one fixed expression but while positioned differently, they seem to express different emotions .

So, are they acting? Or, are we just imagining?