Yu QING CHENG CV

Yu Qing Cheng brings to his works the endurance and experience gained through a hard life. Having been denied the opportunity to receive formal education at a young age and forced under circumstances, during the Chinese ‘cultural revolution’, to learn and work as a farmer, he went on to develop a good understanding of clay. His sculptures are informed by this unique grasp of the medium as well as a sensitive and keen observation of his rural environment. He often depicts old men in rugged, sometimes tired expressions, at once capturing the pain, joy, and satiation that adversity inspires. 

The sculptor eventually received two-year training at the Tianjin Academy of Fine Arts in his 30s. He went on to receive accolades for his works including the "Master of Folk Arts" United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1996. One of his most known works, Yangtze River and Yellow River, was shown at the International Arts Exhibition held in Beijing in 2003 and received critical acclaim. 

The series of gleeful Bachelor Man and Country Boys clay figurines are typical of his creations. These clay figurines with the tell-tale lines of joy and sorrow, celebrate the modest victories of human courage in the face of hardship and the bliss that survives it.