Since his first solo exhibition at the Taipei Museum of History in 1976, Ju Ming officially marked his debut as a sculptor, and received critical acclaim for his sculptures. Taichi series - Single whip (Lot 1036) was created in 1976, one of the earliest wooden sculptures from the ‘Taichi series’ to surface on the market. This work is an exemplary work that witnesses the artist’s transformation from a craftsman to an artistic sculptor, which is also the starting point for Chinese sculptors to enter the international art scene.

This series of work originated from a small wooden sculpture named Kung Fu from the same exhibition mentioned above in 1976. In the 1980s and 1990s, it developed into one of the most recognized and representative bodies of work by Ju Ming. Through the ‘Taichi series’, Ju Ming explores the essence of Chinese culture, and promotes it to the entire world through his modern interpretation. Taichi series - Single whip takes its shape from the iconic Taichi movement: Single Whip; this move does not express an offensive tactic; rather, it effectively allows the boxer to maintain a stable defensive stance in which they can use the opponent’s power against them. Created in the early stage of this series, the current lot still showcases figurative elements in its outline and shape, such as the clenched right fist, the side-way turned head, and the texture and flow of the garment. However, abstract elements are also present in the work, such as the figure’s left arm has been simplified into a three-dimensional geometric shape, and the shape of the figure’s legs has been simplified. It is clear that the Taichi series - Single whip is created during the critical moment of the artist’s stylistic transformation. A different sculpture of the same name by Ju Ming was auctioned at Sotheby’s in 2018, this 1990 work showed clearer and more straight-foward abstraction in the figure’s shape and outline. The current work’s crucial creative period and its unique artistic style make it an exceptionally rare work by Ju Ming to come to the auction.

自1976年於台北歷史博物館首次舉辦個展，朱銘正式以雕刻家的身份踏入藝術創造領域，在藝界廣受好評。《太極系列 — 單鞭下勢》（拍品編號1036）誕生於1976年，是目前拍場上朱銘「太極系列」作品中創作年份最早的木雕之一，見證藝術家從工藝雕刻轉轉至藝術創作的關鍵時刻，亦是華人雕塑家走向國際藝壇的起點。

「太極系列」源自朱銘1976年史博館個展中展出的小型木雕《功夫》，在八、九〇年代發展成藝術家最具代表性的作品系列。此系列以太極動作為靈感源泉，是朱銘探索中華文化精髓，並將其發揚至世界藝術舞台的關鍵系列作品。《太極系列 — 單鞭下勢》取形於太極拳中具標誌性的武打招式，「單鞭下勢」；它雖然非侵略性的戰術，卻有效地讓習武者保持於最佳、最穩重的防守狀態。因創作年份較早，此作中的具象元素仍較為清晰，如人物右手緊握的拳頭，側轉的頭部，以及衣著的紋理與走向。與此同時，朱銘亦開始在作品中融入抽象元素，如人物的左臂已簡化為立體幾何形狀，人物的腿部造型亦被簡化。由此可見，《太極系列 — 單鞭下勢》創作於藝術家風格由具象蛻化至抽象創作的關鍵時期。於2018年在蘇富比拍賣的《太極系列 — 單鞭下勢》創作於一九九〇年，若於本作並觀，可見九〇年代藝術家將人物造型更進一步簡化，形象以基本線條及立體幾何造型組成。本作具象元素清晰明嘹，是藝術家創作風格演變過程中重要的憑證。