Ju Ming's charity auction to benefit poor, aged
Carla Bianpoen, Contributor, Singapore
When the world renowned Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming started his Monk sculptures, he was driven by the compassion and selfless giving of the monk, the Venerable Ming Yi, who cared for the sick and aged poor in Singapore.
Health care for the aged poor is an issue everywhere, even in a welfare state like Singapore. In 1994 Ming Yi opened Ren Ci Hospital and Medicare Centre (RCHMC), a voluntary welfare organization. Completely subsidized by public donations, it requires US$6 million annually to operate.
Those who are sick, poor and aged -- regardless of their religion, race or background -- and who can't afford the usual medical services, are provided with medical, nursing and paramedical services, as well as psycho-social support and counseling.
There are now 530 elderly poor benefiting from the services provided at warded hospitals, nursing homes, domiciliary care and day care.
On April 4, five of the six larger-than-life-sized sculptures valued at an estimated $1.3 million by Taiwan's master sculpture will be auctioned at a gala dinner held in Singapore. The auction will be in conjunction with Ju Ming's exhibition of over 60 sculptures, which will be on show at various venues, including the Singapore Art Museum, Changi Airport, Fullerton Square and Orchard Road.
The sixth Monk sculpture of the same series will be donated to the national collection of the Singapore Art Museum (SAM), but will be exhibited on the premises of RCHMC.
Entitled Living World -- Monk, these sculptures will be offered to art patrons and supporters, who will have the opportunity to acquire an individual artwork from the artist's most recent and specifically created series.
According to iPreciation gallery, successful bidders will be acknowledged for their cash contributions. Local taxpayers (whether individuals or corporations) who donate cash and artifacts to the Singapore Art Museum will also qualify for double tax deductions for the year of assessment following the year in which the donation took place.
Single tax deductions will be given if naming opportunities are offered and the name perpetuated is that of a living individual or existing corporation.
Ju Ming is best known for his gigantic bronze Taichi series inspired by the ancient Chinese Taichi Che Chuan, a spiritually oriented martial art, which he had started practicing in order to strengthen his body and to develop mental discipline.
His teacher Yu Yang, at the time he was an apprentice, found Ju Ming's body rather delicate and suggested that he practice taichi so he could better cope with the physical and mental demands of sculpting.
Equally interesting is his ongoing Living World series, which, unlike the almost inhuman larger-than-life sculptures of his Taichi series, show more human features, with universal significance.
The Monk sculptures to be auctioned, however, synthesize humanity, a distinct feature of his Living World series, with the graceful movements found in his almost out-of-this-world giant taichi sculptures.
Set in the front of the Singapore Art Museum, on the busy street of Bras Basah, they evoke the illusion of seeing the Venerable Ming Yi receiving the poor.
Invitations have been extended to Ju Ming to include the Taichi and Living World series in exhibitions in many countries. The most important ones include those held at the South Bank Centre, London, 1991, the Musee d'Art Contemporain, Dunkirk, 1992, Hakone Open-Air Museum, Tokyo, 1995, and La Place Vendome, Paris, 1997.
For this year, Ju Ming has chosen Singapore over the invitations of other international cities to unveil his Taichi Arches, a series that has never been publicly shown. This will signify the end of his Taiji series -- his signature work which can be found in museums and private collections worldwide.
The exhibition will also feature outdoor sculptures from the Living World series through which the artist shares his personal views of the world through the depiction of ordinary people going about their daily chores and activities. The selected works, Parachute, Gentlemen and Lining Up comprising several larger-than-life figures, will be sited in various locations around Singapore.
The proceeds of the gala dinner and auction "Art of Benevolence" will be split between the Ren Ci Hospital and the Singapore Art Museum to fund the exhibition.
Organized by The Singapore Art Museum, the Singapore based iPreciation gallery and the Ju Ming Museum, the exhibition is slated to open on July 1st, and travel to Beijing six months later.
-- I-box: Art of Benevolence: Gala Dinner and Auction In support of Singapore Art Museum and Ren Ci Hospital & Medicare Centre Venue : The Fullerton Ballroom, The Fullerton Hotel Date : 4 April 2004, Sunday Time : 6 pm Dress Code: Formal / National Dress
For general enquiries regarding the Gala Dinner and Auction, please contact Adeline at (65) 6339 0678.