执牛耳者 (2020) Sculpture by Zhao Yongchang

The arrangement of the zodiac may have its own will in the dark, and the Year of the Ox will usher in the Year of the Ox immediately after the Year of the Rat, which often causes accidents. In traditional Chinese culture, cattle have many symbolic meanings and beautiful qualities such as diligence, simplicity, selflessness, and kindness. Since June 2020, I have tried to design a sculpture with cattle as an element. After several revisions, I was not satisfied. Drawing sketches, making mud, software modeling... After a lot of tossing, the time has come to the end of the year, just as the TV series "Da Qin Fu" is on the air. Back to the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period more than two thousand years ago. In that era of contention among a hundred schools of thought, many idioms and allusions that we still use today were born, and the concept of "the leader" rushed into my mind. "Holding the cow's ear" is an alliance ceremony in ancient times. The person holding the cow's ear is the leader, swearing status, integrity and respect for the gods. Later, it generally refers to a person who is in a leading position in a certain area, and is also a synonym for "first" and an industry leader. The original intention of the design of the work of "The Leader" is to combine sculpture art with practical utensils. In my spare time, it is a group of sculptures on desks, display racks and desks, as well as teapots and teacups on tea trays when friends meet and business negotiations. The overall image of the pot is the shape of a bull's head with its head bowed forward and its horns facing backward. The expression technique draws on the line language of ancient bronze wares, and the handle is integrated with the cow's ears. When we hold the pot with one hand, we become "leaders", which is an attitude of self-confidence and self-motivation.

Related themes

茶壶茶杯器物雕塑