Wu Weishan has a friend he can always turn to - clay

Many Chinese artists have attained international recognition but few have gained the level of respect shown to sculpture master Wu Weishan.

His works have been exhibited and collected across the world. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said his sculptures "embody not just the soul of a nation but of all humanity". Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard of The Netherlands, who recently abdicated in favor of her eldest son, the new King Willem-Alexander, praised the historical notable characters he sculpted as "walking out of a 5,000-year history". Scholar Ji Xianlin said: "The sculptural arts of China entered a new era led by Wu Weishan."

Wu, 51, from East China's Jiangsu province, is known for his exceptionally expressive portrait sculptures, which include works of more than 500 historically and culturally notable people as well as ordinary folk.

His portrait of ancient philosopher Lao Tzu won a gold medal in the Louvre International Art Exhibition last year.

"Traditional Chinese culture includes a wide range of virtues such as humanity, faith, honesty and tolerance," Wu says. "Those sculptures reflect the ideas and philosophy that resonate throughout history which are also needed in today's world."

In 2003 Wu won the Pangolin Award of the British Society of Portrait Sculptors for his work "The Sleeping Child", which enabled him to become a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

"It was modeled during a visit to a friend's house," Wu says. The friend's child was unwell and had been crying for most of the day. Later the baby fell asleep with his mouth open. Wu promptly sculpted the image.

"The work reminds people of their own childhood and brings back sweet memories," Wu says. "It also reflects the universal feeling that children are innocent and have no preconceived ideas about culture."

His most cherished work is the group sculptures for the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall, which were completed in 2007.

Wu says he felt a responsibility to reflect the calamity brought on the Chinese people by the Japanese invasion and to convey the values of peace and dignity.

One of the group sculptures is "The Last Drop of Milk". It depicts the story told by Chang Zhiping, a massacre survivor who witnessed his baby brother taking the last milk from the breast of his dying mother. Another piece called "The Monk" depicts a monk with his eyes closed praying for the souls of those killed.

Born into a family of calligraphers, Wu developed an interest in the arts during his childhood. It was not until he began to study at Wuxi Municipal Institute of Arts and Crafts in Jiangsu province that he formally started his sculpting career.

"Although the school was small and unknown at the time, I was lucky enough to learn at the highest level from several of the best folk artists in China," Wu says, adding that he is grateful to his alma mater.

"The folk arts are full of the wisdom of Chinese people, which inspired the creativity in my sculpture."

In the mid-1990s Wu got the opportunity to further study art in several European countries and the United States. His experience abroad helped enormously in developing his craft.

"My career really took off after I returned from abroad."

Wu once saw a sculpture created by a 100-year-old man in Spain. He immediately recognized it was Christopher Columbus discovering the new continent now known as North America even though he was too far away to clearly see his countenance. It was the dynamic outline that made it so distinctive, he says.

He eventually developed a new style of "freehand and expressive sculpture" by putting more emphasis on the "essence" of sculpted figures than their facial appearances.

"Sculptures should be made between resemblance and expression," says Wu, who was wearing a jacket displaying Chinese traditional decoration.

Since 1996, Wu has held exhibitions in Europe, the United States, Japan, Korea and many other countries.

Having garnered so much attention on the international stage, Wu now feels an obligation to boost the development of sculpture domestically.

He is helping to develop regional sculpting art and the planning and creation of landmark sculptures, assisting in raising art awareness in many Chinese cities.

In Qingdao, Shandong province, Wu helped to found the sub-branch of the Chinese National Academy of Sculpture last year.

Situated on the coast, the school has become a popular place for sculpture lovers. Many sculpture exhibitions and lectures are held there.

One recent event was an exhibition of modern Chinese sculpture on March 29. Sixty-eight pieces of work from 41 sculptors were put on display.

A sculpture competition for the next year's Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition will take place there.

Li Qun, Party chief of Qingdao, sees the sculpture park as a business card for the artistic works of the city that will show Qingdao's cultural charm to the world.

Despite being very busy with a variety of commissioned projects, Wu spends at least half of his working time on his own creations.

"Clay is always at hand as my mind flows," he says. "It is my most intimate friend."

Despite sculpting so many famous historical figures, Wu does not plan to make a sculpture of himself.

"When I am creating my works, they are also sculpting my life in return," he says.

"I imagine that when I get very old, all my work will stand there like a forest. My body and soul will have already been carved within every piece."

xiechuanjiao@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 05/17/2013 page20)