Ting-Ju+Shao+-+If+we+could+only+listen+to+the+harmonies+in+nature,+then+we+would+truly+appreciate+the+joy+of+life,+2004



__**Artwork Identification **__  Title: If we could only listen to the harmonies in nature, then we would truly appreciate the joy of life, 2004 Artist(s): Ting-Ju Shao  Date: 2004  Period: Contemporary  Country of Origin: Taiwan  Cultural/Ethnic Affiliation: Taiwanese  Medium: Clay  Dimensions:4'5" x 5' x5' (approximation) Museum/Collection: Current Location and Manner of Display: on loan to friend, USA  Provenance: (the history of ownership if known) unknown __** Introduction **__ [|Ting-ju Shao] is a Taiwanese ceramist, critic and illustrator. She has won many awards and grants, including honorable mentions at the [|International Competition for Contemporary Ceramic Art in Faenza, Italy] in 1994 and 2001, a first prize at the Republic of China Ceramics Biennial in Taiwan. She was a guest artist at NCECA, in 1996, which for ceramic artists is a very high honor. She won the [|McKnight Foundation] [|Artist Fellowship] residency at the Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA in 2004. Her mixed media sculptures, are hand-built, often multiples of the human figure and birds. Her work addresses social and environmental issues and human spirituality. She at times slip-cast, to place emphasis on the process referencing industrial techniques. (http://www.ceramicstoday.com/potw/shao_ting-ju.htm) This is an analysis of several of her works, addressing her thematic human form, with a focus on //If we could only listen to the harmonies of nature, than we would truly appreciate the joy of life//.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/gusstiffpottery/508222174 __**Descriptive Analysis **__
 * There is a central portly figure of a man with an expressionless pinched head. The figure itself is large almost burdensome in size and undefined. The figure has clothing with only the hands, feet and head represented. The head is too small, the hands are proportional and the feet are large in scale to the figure. The hands and feet are defined and the head is not. The head is not round, but pinched almost a cavity for where the face should be. The central figure, approximately 4.5 feet tall, various in shades of brown on the surface. The figure has what appears as wings on its back. The wings in contrast to the figure are stark white. The wings rise slightly above the head. **
 * Circling the figure are 14 small bright white household furniture objects. The circle created is approximately 5 feet in diameter. The objects range in height from 5 to 7 inches depending on the object. There are chairs, stools, small couches and tables all in a variety of styles. Several of the objects include a small version of the central figure, approximately 6" in height. These figures share the same surface as the central figure of various browns and are in various poses. Three of the figures are in standing position balanced on the household objects. One of the figures is huddled in somewhat of an upright fetal position on a couch. The final figure is in sitting position with arms around its knees sitting on a television that is resting on a table, all of which are balanced. **

__**Formal/Contextual Analysis **__
 * Ting-Ju Shao was a [|McKnight Foundation] Scholar and served a residency at Northern Clay Works in Minnesota in 2004. During this period she created three works, which were exhibited in the gallery. All three works have the common theme of humanity balanced within nature and society. While the figures may all seem the same, they are each individually different. **
 * The first work //The Mind// **** reflects a quiet time at the beginning when she felt relatively isolated. The third work //Did you hear me?// **** Is of 36 soda-fired birds, representing nature and the need to pay attention to nature. **
 * The second work created, //If we could only listen to the harmonies in nature, then we would truly appreciate the joy of life.// **** Ting-ju Shao formed the idea to create this sculpture after viewing a play at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The play had an African American cast and was viewed by a largely white audience. She was impressed “with the idea that there might be no difference between humans” and that the United States encompasses immigrants from many countries. The piece represents harmony. (Silberman) **
 * The focal point is the large angel figure in the center. It is of earth tones with large shoeless feet, grounded to the earth. The shoeless feet represent nothing to hide and honesty. The large figure of the angel is in Shao’s words “like the center of the universe”. **
 * The chairs surrounding the piece are each different, symbolizing different backgrounds and nationalities. The little brown figures balanced on the chairs represent the need for balance and harmony in the contemporary world. **
 * Ting-ju Shao is currently in Taiwan and the sculptures are at a friend’s home in Minnesota. She will be having a solo exhibition at West Oregon University in 2012. **

__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Personal Interpretations **__ I was drawn to this work initially because of the title: //If we could only listen to the harmony of nature, then we would truly appreciate the joy of life//. I feel most at peace in nature, either hiking, gardening or sitting in a park. The rest of the time I am busy, stressed out with every day life. There seems to never be a peaceful moment. My initial interpretation was based on relevance to my life. The large middle earth like figure I viewed as mother earth and Nature, with the feathers representing birds and nature and the white, purity and peace. The surrounding household items I interpreted as material items that people feel bring them happiness. The figures and items are spaced apart, representing alienation and a TV representing what (I deem) is wrong with the world. The little figures are balanced on their individually owned items, one is huddled in fetal position, seemingly saddened, one is glued to a T.V, with the remaining figures standing on the furniture never leaving their items. The figures are all the same, alienated from nature and seemingly sad. If they would only leave the items and see nature, than they would be happy. I translated the work as the title stated: that we need to be in nature, to be truly happy. There is peace within all of us, if we look for it. My initial response to the artwork changed after I read the artist Ting-Ju Shao, intentions. At first I did not like the artwork as much, but than I reflected on her words and the sculpture. The fact that she used different household furniture to represent diversity is ingenious. The people are all the same, but our culture and history make us different. If she had made the small figures a variety of colors, the figures would have been different and not the same. The people are in harmony, even with the different cultures they represent. The central figure is a universal god figure representing peace and not one specific religion. Just like the people being the same - religion is the same too – just with different names and histories.

__**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sources **__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Kuchta, Ronald Andrew. Ceramics: Art and Perception, issue 55, 2004, the article may be found on [|Ting-Ju Shoa's site]. Lauria, Jo.The Soul of an Artist: The Work of Ting-Ju SHAO, Kerameiki techni, issue 27, 1997, found on [|Ting-Ju Shoa's site]. <span class="wiki_link_ext">Ting-Ju Shao Website: [| http://web.me.com/shao36/The_Web_Site_of_SHAO_TING-JU__%E9%82%B5%E5%A9%B7%E5%A6%82%E7%B6%B2%E7%AB%99/%E9%82%B5%E5%A9%B7%E5%A6%82%E7%9B%B8%E9%97%9C%E8%A9%95%E8%AB%96_Reviews.html#30] <span class="wiki_link_ext">Ceramics Today, site features notable ceramics artists from around the world [|: http://www.ceramicstoday.com/potw/shao_ting-ju.htm] [] [|Silberman, Dr. Robert], University of Minnesota, interview during residency forwarded by the artist Ting-Ju Shao __**<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Image Sources **__ <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> []