Famed Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming (朱銘) was found dead on Saturday evening at the age of 85, in what prosecutors said was an apparent suicide.
Ju’s family contacted authorities at 9:45pm on Saturday when his wife found the sculptor on the rooftop of his apartment in Taipei without any signs of life after he did not return from an evening workout there.
Emergency responders pronounced Ju dead after arriving at the scene.
Photo courtesy of Juming Culture and Education Foundation
A preliminary post-mortem examination suggested that Ju died from asphyxiation, leading prosecutors to conclude that he took his own life, the Shilin District Prosecutors’ Office said.
Ju was reported to have suffered from a number of chronic ailments in the past few years.
Known for his masterful depiction of people and the human anatomy through sharp-edged shapes and sleek choices of modern colors, Ju was a pioneer in the sculpting field, with works displayed or permanently purchased around the world.
Photo: Yu Chao-fu, Taipei Times
Aside from his achievements as a sculptor, Ju’s most notable contribution to Taiwan’s art scene is the Juming Museum, Taiwan’s largest outdoor collection of outdoor sculptures.
Located in New Taipei City’s Jinshan District (金山), the vast area features the works of other local sculptors, including his masters and teachers, and a large collection of his own personal catalogue, situated in a park featuring ocean and mountain views.
Originally from Tongsiao Township (通霄) in Miaoli County, Ju’s first foray into art was at age 15, when he became a student of temple sculptures and painting.
Photo: Yu Chao-fu, Taipei Times
Taiwan is to commence mass production of the Tien Kung (天弓, “Sky Bow”) III, IV and V missiles by the second quarter of this year if the legislature approves the government’s NT$1.25 trillion (US$39.78 billion) special defense budget, an official said yesterday. Commenting on condition of anonymity, a defense official with knowledge of the matter said that the advanced systems are expected to provide crucial capabilities against ballistic and cruise missiles for the proposed “T-Dome,” an advanced, multi-layered air defense network. The Tien Kung III is an air defense missile with a maximum interception altitude of 35km. The Tien Kung IV and V
The disruption of 941 flights in and out of Taiwan due to China’s large-scale military exercises was no accident, but rather the result of a “quasi-blockade” used to simulate creating the air and sea routes needed for an amphibious landing, a military expert said. The disruptions occurred on Tuesday and lasted about 10 hours as China conducted live-fire drills in the Taiwan Strait. The Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said the exercises affected 857 international flights and 84 domestic flights, affecting more than 100,000 travelers. Su Tzu-yun (蘇紫雲), a research fellow at the government-sponsored Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said the air
A strong continental cold air mass is to bring pollutants to Taiwan from tomorrow, the Ministry of Environment said today, as it issued an “orange” air quality alert for most of the country. All of Taiwan except for Hualien and Taitung counties is to be under an “orange” air quality alert tomorrow, indicating air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups. In China, areas from Shandong to Shanghai have been enveloped in haze since Saturday, the ministry said in a news release. Yesterday, hourly concentrations of PM2.5 in these areas ranged from 65 to 160 micrograms per cubic meter (mg/m³), and pollutants were
Taiwan’s armed forces have established response protocols for a wide range of sudden contingencies, including the “Wan Chun Plan” to protect the head of state, the Ministry of Defense (MND) said today. After US President Donald Trump on Saturday launched a series of airstrikes in Venezuela and kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, concerns have been raised as to whether China would launch a similar “decapitation strike” on Taiwan. The armed forces regularly coordinate with relevant agencies and practice drills to ensure preparedness for a wide range of scenarios, Vice Minister of National Defense Hsu Szu-chien (徐斯儉) told reporters before a
RSS