Eminent artist Wu Weishan delivers CityU’s master lecture to tell China’s stories through sculptures
The “Master Lecture for Children cum CityU Macau’s Master Lecture” organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the Tencent Group, with the support of the Macao Government Education and Youth Development Bureau, the City University of Macau, and the Association for National Education (Macau), was held today (Sep 13) at the Taipa campus, City University of Macau (CityU). In conjunction with the ongoing exhibition of “A Glimpse of Tang Prosperity through Murals–The Exhibition on Murals of the Tang Dynasty” at the Cultural Centre, the lecture featured renowned sculptor and Director of the National Art Museum of China, Dr. Wu Weishan, as the guest speaker. This lecture, titled “Telling China’s Stories through Sculptures,” provided insights into the preservation of traditional culture and dialogue among world civilizations. Since its inception, the “CityU Macau’s Master Lecture Series” has invited numerous top scholars and experts to campus, bringing cutting-edge information and industry highlights to students, faculty, and the wider community.
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The lecture was attended by university leaders, government officials, and distinguished guests, including Teng Sio Hong, Deputy Director of the Government Education and Youth Development Bureau; Chen Aimin, Director of the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation Office; Kwok Chiu Lam, Deputy Director of Greater Bay Area Public Affair of the Tencent Group; Wong Hoi Tou, President of National Conditions Education Association (Macau); as well as Professor Jun Liu, Rector of CityU.
In his address, Deputy Director Teng Sio Hong extended his appreciation to the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the Tencent Group for their support to Macao’s education development and highlighted the honor in collaborating with CityU and the National Conditions Education Association (Macau) as supporting units for the lecture. He mentioned that the insightful sharing by Dr. Wu Weishan, which allowed everyone to appreciate the social sentiment and national spirit conveyed through artistic expression. He encouraged young people to embrace their dreams and aspiration, and be responsible, daring, and diligent. Additionally, he urged the youth to aim high and contribute to building the country into a nation with strong cultural and educational strengths.
Rector Jun Liu expressed his appreciation to Dr. Wu Weishan for his commitment to higher education and the development of CityU. Rector Jun Liu commended Dr. Wu for his exceptional artistic prowess in conveying the essence of Chinese culture through sculptures of greatest philosophers in Chinese history – Confucius and Laozi installed in prominent places around the world. He also praised Dr. Wu’s values of staying rooted in the motherland, embracing the world, and fostering harmony between Chinese and Western cultures. Rector Jun Liu highlighted that Dr. Wu has been using his art creations and classic masterpieces to tell the stories of China and promote Chinese contemporary arts to the international community. He acknowledged Dr. Wu’s significant role in fostering cultural exchanges between Chinese and Western cultures.
In fulfilling its dedication to promoting China’s stories and Chinese culture, Rector Liu emphasized that CityU has steadfast in upholding progressive educational values and a global perspective. He highlighted that the University has developed interdisciplinary programs in Cultural Industry and Arts, with the aim of utilizing the academic resources of the Macao Research Center for Chinese Culture to cultivate highly skilled individuals who can effectively disseminate Chinese culture to the world.
During the lecture, Dr. Wu Weishan showcased his sculpture of Soong Ching Ling to introduce his artistic journey and share his creative process. As a passionate advocator of freehand sculpture and a cultural ambassador, Dr. Wu has produced over 600 expressive artworks, with 50 of them installed in more than thirty countries around the globe. He emphasized that each of these sculptures represents the cultural confidence and spirit of a nation when displayed in foreign lands. Additionally, he presented his creations depicting Chinese historical figures, sharing the artistic spirit, as well as cultural and humanistic values embodied within them.
When it comes to conveying China's stories in dialogue with the world, Dr. Wu emphasized the importance of depicting a face, a heart, and a soul. The face represented a unique manifestation, a cultural image and ethos of the Chinese nation. He also quoted an influential Chinese writer – Lu Xun to encourage the audience to build cultural confidence through a heart of peace, equality, and tranquility, listening to others’ stories while telling their own stories well to realize heart-to-heart communication. He emphasized the importance of a soul that embrace world peace. Dr. Wu demonstrated how he utilized his tools to imbue cultural spirit into his creations, showcasing the process of bringing to life the characters, ethos, and soul of Chinese historical figures, thereby transforming them into significant exemplars in human history. During his lecture, he expressed his mission to promote his culture and deep affection for his motherland, fostering a greater understanding of traditional Chinese culture and facilitating cultural recognition between China and the Western world.
Lastly, Dr. Wu shared his personal connection with Macao and offered valuable advice to the students. During the Q-and-A session, Dr. Wu shared insightful thoughts on creating dialogue and conveying meaning through artistic pieces, as well as the dimensions and perspectives that can inspire character creation. The audience expressed that this lecture provided them with a deeper understanding of the artistic values present in Dr. Wu's works and allowed them to experience the profound inner strength conveyed by Chinese culture through the visual art form of sculpture.
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