China Changchun International Sculpture Symposium 2001 |
One of the most exciting events of my professional career as a sculptor! |
Creating a
monumental bronze sculpture for an urban setting - in this case the World
Sculpture Park in Changchun, the capital of Jilin Province in China, is
something I have dreamed of all my life. |
A FEW PICTURES OF THE WORK IN
PROGRESS
Please be patient while the
pictures load - this is the only page on my site where the files are rather
large... The entire project took two months to complete. I started by modelling 10 Chinese faces in clay, approximately one and half times lifesize each. Subjects included an old beggar, Chinese-Canadian sculptor Judi Michelle Young and interpreter Lixue, below. |
Then I had moulds made (light enough to bring home to England afterwards) and created over 40 casts of these faces at different angles. |
After this, with technical advice and help from Chinese Sculptor Chen Lian Fu, I had a large, circular steel armature welded. Below, Chen Lian Fu, his assistant and I. |
Using this armature I created the final Tai-Chi (or Yin Yang) shaped sculpture, which I called "East Meets West". The picture below shows the front of the sculpture nearing completion. It is 450 cm (4.5 metres) in diameter. |
Chen Lian Fu and I made portraits of each other which I then placed on the rear of the sculpture along with a quote by L. Ron Hubbard about peace on earth. Below is my portrait by Chen Lian Fu. I represent the West part of the overall sculpture! |
Below... in front of the plaster original "tarted up" with paint and shoe polish for the Closing Ceremony, talking with the Ambassador. |
Zhang Ya Xi (the only Chinese woman sculptor at the Symposium and now a real soul-mate type friend), myself in the middle and Monsieur l'Ambassadeur de France en Chine - M. Pierre Morel |
The finished "East Meets West" sculpture in bronze - Shengli Park (Changchun) prior to being relocated to its permanent home in the Changchun World Sculpture Park. Click here for detail pics of the work. |