On January 23rd, The University of Georgia (UGA) held a reception to announce the recipient of the inaugural Liu Shiming Scholarship, Mickey Boyd, and to celebrate the exhibition "Descending the Mountain Together" which showcases 23 of the late artist Liu Shiming’s sculpture works. The scholarship, as established by the Liu Shiming Art Foundation, aims to provide support for talented and dedicated artists and learners like Boyd and to keep Liu Shiming’s legacy alive for future generations.
Yixuan Wang，the fourth-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Language and Literacy Education.
To start, fourth-year Ph.D. student Yixuan Wang from the Department of Language and Literacy Education presented a poem titled "Return" dedicated to the exhibition. Her inspiration came from visiting the exhibition and observing the eagle, drum, boats, and rivers depicted in Liu Shiming's sculptures. Yixuan explores Liu Shiming’s understanding of life that lies behind the artist’s use of everyday experiences for artistic inspiration.
Dr. S. Jack Hu
Dr. S. Jack Hu, the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at the University of Georgia, praised Liu Shiming's works for their ability to unite people and culture. He highlighted how the artist's lifelong practice of elaborating figures fuses tradition with modern craftsmanship and creativity. He also expressed deep appreciation for the Liu Shiming scholarship that was offered to UGA's graduate students in fine arts.
Dr. Katie Geha
Dr. Katie Geha, the Director of the Galleries in the Lamar Dodd School of Art and the curator of this exhibition, spoke about the joy of seeing the intricate handiwork involved in creating Liu Shiming's sculptures. She also highlighted the excitement and historical significance of presenting a small retrospective of one of China's first modern sculptors.
Mickey Boyd
Mickey Boyd, a third-year MFA student in sculpture, expressed his appreciation for being chosen as the first recipient of the Liu Shiming Scholarship at UGA and shared his journey as an artist. He talked about how his life experience provided him with an essential understanding and love of the vastness of space in the American West. He also shared that the support provided by the foundation will help him complete his thesis and propel his artistic career into its next phase.
Written by Yimeng Sun
Monday, February 1th
Photo credites: The LiuShiming Art Foundation
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