Poster for the exhibition, In the Heart of the Bronze: A Liu Shiming ExperienceFrom 26 October to 16 November 2023, an exhibition titled In the Heart of the Bronze: A Liu Shiming Experience will be on display at the artLAB gallery at Western University (also known as The University of Western Ontario), Canada. The exhibition will feature 26 bronze works by the outstanding Chinese sculptor Liu Shiming. Each piece is a classic in the artist’s career, represented by the one featured in the exhibition poster, “Dream to Fly”. These extraordinary sculptures fully reflect Liu’s unique artistic style and spiritual pursuit, and they brilliantly illustrate the sculptural technique he pioneered and advocated, which is known as the “Chinese Method”.
The exhibition aims to highlight the diligent efforts and valuable contributions made by Chinese sculptors and the Central Academy of Fine Arts to the global sculpture scene. Visitors will gain insights into the century-long modernization of Chinese sculpture, which possesses a distinctive essence rooted in traditional and local experiences. This approach stands in stark contrast to the prevalent Western narratives, thereby augmenting the heterogeneity of narratives within the realm of global contemporary art history.
In the Heart of the Bronze: A Liu Shiming Experience is curated by Ashar Mobeen, a PhD student in art and visual culture at Weston. On the opening day of the exhibition, Mobeen and special guest Yam Lau, Assistant Professor at York University, will discuss the exhibition and the art of Liu Shiming.
Curator Ashar Mobeen, PhD candidate in art and visual culture at Weston
Special Guest Yam Lau, Assistant Professor at York University
Located in the John Labatt Visual Arts Centre at Western University, the artLAB Gallery and Cohen Commons, are vital facilities within the Department of Visual Arts. Its primary focus is to act as a pedagogical tool, to support student and faculty-led research and production. Exhibitions provide a platform to respond to pertinent social and cultural issues, and/or explore conceptual, formal and material-based interests.
It is learned that the exhibition will have an opening ceremony on the evening of 26 October 2023, at 5-7 pm, followed by a panel discussion at 7-8 pm.
