Even if you don't follow the arts, you have probably seen some of Ju Ming's work. Rather like Henry Moore sculptures in the UK, Ju Ming's monumental work adorns many public spaces around Taiwan, his Tai Chi series being particularly ubiquitous. He is also one of the only artists to have a museum dedicated to his own work. With the publication of a new book, titled simply Ju Ming, released by the Editions Cercle D'Art and launched Wednesday in Taiwan, his reputation has received a further boost.
Editions Cercle d'Art was established in 1950 by, among others, Picasso, giving Ju Ming's selection into its publication list even greater cachet. The text, provided by Jean-Luc Chalumeau, one of France's foremost art critics, takes a look at Ju Ming's life work from the perspective of European art and attempts to break down the boundaries between Eastern and Western art.
Ju's own work has developed away from the distinctive orientalism of his Tai Chi series to something much more earthy which defies easy classification in his Living World series. While touted as Taiwan's greatest living artist, his work has been criticized for being neither East nor West -- possibly why it has a real international appeal.
In a climate in which Taiwan is trying desperately to establish itself as a cultural force within Asia and have its artists represented at top venues around the world, the publication of Ju Ming by one of the most respected art publishing houses in the West is undoubtably a step in the right direction.
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