Lot 941: YUYU YANG

YUYU YANG
(YANG YIN-FONG, 1926-1997)
The Cross
signed and inscribed in Chinese; dated '1964'; numbered '25/30' (lower left)
bronze sculpture and oil painting
105.2 x 64 x 14 cm. (41 1/2 x 25 x 5 1/2 in.)
edition 25/30
Executed in 1964

National Chiao Tung University & Yuyu Yang Art Education Fund, The Handbook and Symposium of Human, Art and Technology - The International Conference on the Art of Yuyu Yang", Hsinchu, Taiwan, 2000 (illustrated, p. 263).
Artist Publishing Co., Yuyu Yang Corpus, Taipei, Taiwan, 2005 (illustrated, p. 205).

In the history of the development of Taiwanese art, Yuyu Yang plays a considerably significant role in sculptural art. The two pieces of work exhibited in the auction are the artist's representative works of different periods, allowing us to have a glimpse on his journey of mind and the change of style. In 1964, being an alumnus of the Fu Jen Catholic University, Yang organized a group visit to make a pilgrimage to the Pope Paul VI and hence facilitated his three-year living in Italy.The Cross (Lot 941) is an epitome of his using calligraphic lines at the time. At the far left of the work is a cross constructed by molded tree branches, on which is a skinny human figure similarly made in synthetic tree branches, vaguely revealing the god who died a martyr and savior in the cause of man. The background color and texture constitute a heavy and obscure aurora, implying the suffering and struggling of life and also highlighting the sacrificial spirit of Christ on the cross. It is invaluable, for an oriental artist to have been able to follow and master this specific creation of the religion from the West. With extremely simplistic media and formats, Yang's work radiates with sublime spiritual evocation.

After three year voyage and subsequent return from Italy to Taiwan in 1967, Yuyu Yang was the adviser of Hualian Marble Factory and was very much fond of the beautiful scenery in the eastern part of Taiwan. He also received inspiration from the sophisticated stone-carving method at the factory. The Moving Sleeves (Lot 942) created in 1969 features the movements of water sleeves, a skill belonging to Peking opera. Expressed with profound sentiments of Chinese performing art,Moving Sleeves primarily exhibits performer using long soft sleeves to perform hurling, throwing, tossing, lifting and swinging; the various gesticulations are intrinsic and endowed with profound sentiments. Yang utilizes back and forth incisions to remold the originally geometric form. The cutting marks appear to be sturdy; nevertheless the remaining gaps enhance gracefulness and spirituality, resembling the lightness and fluttering of moving sleeves. Yuyu Yang encorporates engravings from Chinese traditional bronze mould patterns. In his article "The Difference of the Concept between Chinese and Western Sculpture", he speaks highly of the sculpture art from the Shang and Zhou Dynasty, "The patterns are very beautiful, and the affectation is rich, and expression is sufficient to show the essence of abstraction and impressionistic manner." Hence Moving Sleeves combines formal characteristics of modernity and tradition with those of coarseness and delicacy as well. With the feature of Peking opera's gesticulations, Yang combines its graceful and light sense of movement with the precipitous and eccentric landscape of Tairoko, which is unquestionably a perfect match of natural scenery and humanistic sentiments.Furthermore, because of resembling a "ren (mankind)" of its overall form, a giant Moving Sleeves was erected outside the 2008 Olympic village, symbolizing the concept of man and the world in unison.