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
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Monday called for greater cooperation between Taiwan, Lithuania and the EU to counter threats to information security, including attacks on undersea cables and other critical infrastructure. In a speech at Vilnius University in the Lithuanian capital, Tsai highlighted recent incidents in which vital undersea cables — essential for cross-border data transmission — were severed in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea over the past year. Taiwanese authorities suspect Chinese sabotage in the incidents near Taiwan’s waters, while EU leaders have said Russia is the likely culprit behind similar breaches in the Baltic. “Taiwan and our European
The Taipei District Court sentenced babysitters Liu Tsai-hsuan (劉彩萱) and Liu Jou-lin (劉若琳) to life and 18 years in prison respectively today for causing the death of a one-year-old boy in December 2023. The Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office said that Liu Tsai-hsuan was entrusted with the care of a one-year-old boy, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), in August 2023 by the Child Welfare League Foundation. From Sept. 1 to Dec. 23 that year, she and her sister Liu Jou-lin allegedly committed acts of abuse against the boy, who was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries on Dec. 24, 2023, but did not
LIKE-MINDED COUNTRIES: Despite the threats from outside, Taiwan and Lithuania thrived and developed their economies, former president Tsai Ing-wen said Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) on Saturday thanked Lithuania for its support of Taiwan, saying that both countries are united as partners in defending democracy. Speaking at a reception organized by the Lithuania-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group welcoming her on her first visit to the Baltic state, Tsai said that while she was president from 2016 to last year, many Lithuanian “friends” visited Taiwan. “And I told myself I have to be here. I am very happy that I am here, a wonderful country and wonderful people,” Tsai said. Taiwan and Lithuania are in similar situations as both are neighbors to authoritarian countries, she
Former president Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) is to visit the UK during her ongoing European trip, which originally included only Lithuania and Denmark, her office said today. Tsai departed Taiwan for Europe on Friday night, with planned stops in Lithuania and Denmark, marking her second visit to the continent since her two-term presidency ended in May last year. Her office issued a statement today saying that Tsai would also visit the UK "for a few days," during which she is to meet with UK politicians and Taiwanese professionals, and visit academic and research institutions. Following Tsai's stop in Denmark, she is to visit the
RSS