Wandering Montreal's CBD

Ju Ming's Tai Chi Single Whip

Montreal is a relatively easy city to get around by the metro of subway. We don't know what it's like during the freezing depths of winter, but we already had a good idea from the intense wind tunnels in some of the metro stations. Just pushing the station door open can be a Herculean task as a gust of wind barrels past you.

Nevertheless, we had fun wandering around the city. On the way to the Notre Dame Basilica, we saw the entrance to Montreal's Chinatown, with a Chinese-style gate with "唐人街" on it. When we arrived at the famed church, one of the towers was under renovation and we weren't keen on paying C$16 admission to go inside.

The entrance to Montreal's Chinatown

Not far from there was the financial district, where we saw a number of banks: BMO or Bank of Montreal, TD, or Toronto Dominion Bank, and even Molsons Bank. 

It was started by Montreal brewer John Molson's two sons, William and John. Not only did William serve as the bank's president until his death, but also expanded the family business empire with a distillery, a lumberyard, a foundry, steamships and railways. 

William Molson was also a leading philanthropist who served as president of the Montreal General Hospital, and donated funds towards the establishment and construction of McGill University, where he later became a governor.

After we crossed the street, we came to Victoria Square, where I spied Taiwanese artist Ju Ming's sculpture!

His blocky tai chi figures graced the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and now there was one in Montreal!

Molsons Bank building

There was no information about it and I had to look it up online. The sculpture is called "Tai Chi Single Whip" that was cast in bronze and erected in 2006.

It became an endearing figure in 2015 when some Montreal Canadien fans made a giant Habs hockey jersey for the sculpture with the number 31 on it for the goalie Carey Price at the time.

Price had won his 43rd game that year, breaking the Montreal Canadiens' single season record previously jointly held by Ken Dryden and Jacques Plante.

Sadly the Habs weren't able to go on to the Stanley Cup finals this year, after they were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final...

Sculpture with Yellow Raincoats Removed in HK

Ju Ming's Lining Up before it was covered up last year

A sculpture featuring a series of people, including one in a yellow raincoat, and another holding a yellow umbrella has been permanently removed from the piazza at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Entitled Lining Up by well-known Taiwanese artist Ju Ming, 10 people cast in bronze, are seemingly in a queue.

Although the work was created in 2002 and displayed there since 2017, the yellow raincoat and umbrella took on greater significance following the Umbrella Movement and the 2019 protests, as the colour is related to the pro-democracy protesters.

Hoarding covered up the yellow raincoat people

The Leisure and Cultural Services Department blocked the public from viewing, let alone interacting with the work by covering it with hoarding from April last year, with the intention of doing maintenance work.

On the hoarding were photographs of the sculptures, but then grey panels were strategically placed where there are two people wearing yellow raincoats, and another holding a yellow umbrella would have been.

But now Lining Up won't be coming back to its former place.

"As the sculpture concerned had been on display at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza for many years since 2017, it would not be reinstalled in situ," said a spokeswoman from the LCSD.

She did not say whether the decision was related to the yellow raincoats, nor did she give further details on the storage arrangements, or whether keeping it out of public view would be a waste of resources.

Hong Kong-based art critic John Batten, called the decision not to reinstall the work unnecessary, and an overreaction, as the piece was not political in nature. He added the decision was not beneficial for the city's art image overseas.

The Taiwanese sculptor had other works in HK

"It's a much loved work by the public, a very interactive work in a prominent position also with mainlanders going to the area. No one sees that yellow raincoat colour as a political work," Batten said.

"What happened in 2019 is still a strong feeling for everyone in Hong Kong, [but] we all sort of know the boundaries now. The piece was never part of the protest... It's unnecessary."

Batten hopes the sculpture can be exhibited elsewhere in the city.

"I would ask that people, the art lovers in Hong Kong, be respected and the artwork is put back on display."

Originally from Taiwan, Ju Ming originally trained as a woodcarver, and worked with other media, like bronze, ceramics, stainless steel, and styrofoam. He died in 2023 at the age of 85.

In Hong Kong he also has statues doing tai chi in Exchange Square and outside the Bank of China building, both in Central.

Remembering Taiwanese Sculptor Ju Ming's Works in HK

Tai Chi outside Exchange Square is one of Ju's iconic works

It was absolutely tragic to hear the news that Taiwanese sculptor Ju Ming died by suicide in his home on April 22 after a long undisclosed illness. He was 85 years old.

He is best known for his blocky sculptures that had sweeping textures that exuded movement, particularly the series on tai chi.

Ju became well-known from exhibitions in HK

A few of his sculptures can be found in Hong Kong, and on my way to the gym, I would pass by Taichi: Sparring (Harmony) outside the Bank of China building.

There was also a pair of sculptures at Exchange Square, one called Single Whip, the other Tai Chi.

Another one is at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, named Living World Series - Lining Up, featuring a line of people dressed in different outfits. They are short and accessible to children. What's interesting about this piece, made in 2002, features one person in a yellow raincoat.

For those who were in Hong Kong during the Umbrella Movement in 2014, will remember Marco Leung, who was known as "raincoat man", and fell to his death when he stood on scaffolding at Pacific Place in Admiralty. While there is no direct link to Ju's sculpture, the man in the yellow raincoat is what many Hongkongers remember of that time.

Taichi: Sparring (Harmony) at Bank of China

Ju gained international recognition through having his exhibitions in Hong Kong, thanks to Hanart TZ Gallery started by Johnson Chang Tsong-zung. He curated Ju's breakout exhibition back in 1982 at the Hong Kong Arts Centre and in 1991 in London's South Bank Centre.

"The news of Ju Ming's death is a big shock," Chang says. "A patient and resolute artist, Ju Ming always honed his vision with clarity, and pursued it with determination. He has maintained his style to the end.

"His passing marks the end of an era which fostered artists brought up in traditional skills and traditional mindset to become giants in modern Chinese art.

"We started working together four decades ago, and travelled east and west to promote a sculptural art that has the fluidity of calligraphy and the monumentality of mountains.

"Ju Ming was a man of integrity and an inspired artist; I feel immense loss that he has chosen to leave the world at this time, and sorely miss the long friendship that shared so many adventures together."

Living World Series - Lining Up in Tsim Sha Tsui

We are sad too that Ju felt he could not continue. We must accept this and remember him and the beautiful art he left for us to appreciate.