An important milestone in Ju Ming’s development, the Taichi series exhibits the maturity of the artist’s sculptural language and aesthetic style. The series epitomizes the transformation from his previously meticulous and formal craftsmanship to a sculptural aesthetic characterized by complete ease and freedom, achieving a stage that transcends the self. Ju’s selection of the ancient martial art of Taichi as his subject matter was not premeditated. During his apprenticeship with Yuyu Yang, Ju was encouraged by his mentor to adopt exercise in Taichi as means of increasing the artist’s strength to sculpt. After several months of study, Ju became so absorbed with Taichi that he continually visualized various moves in his mind. These visualizations inspired the artist to translate the fluid motions of Taichi into static sculptures. Ju Ming believed that sculpting and practicing Taichi both derived from the same source of selfcultivation and exploration. For more than two decades, Ju Ming created numerous sculptures under the Taichi series. From early individual figurines to pairs of boxers, to exceedingly abstract arches in later years, the Taichi series demonstrates the evolution of Ju Ming’s artistic pursuit in terms of stylistic development, exploration of medium, and advancement in sculpting technique.

In his continuing exploration of Taichi movements, Ju Ming created a series of Sparring Taichi (also called Boxing) based on the spirit of the confrontational yet harmonious duality of yin and yang. This lot depicts a complementary pair of boxers engaged in fluid combat. One captured mid-strike, the other in protective defence, the pair expresses a sense of balance and harmony in spite of the disparity in their relative sizes. Pushing and pulling at the same time, the two boxers are in concert with each other, signifying the flowing exchange of the yin and yang forces.