Win Ng

Private Collection, San Francisco, gift of the artist

Allen R. Hicks, The Art of Win Ng:  A Retrospective, exh. cat., Chinese Historical Society of America, San Francisco, 2005, p. 17 (for other examples from the "People" series)

Overall in very good condition. With some very minor chips to the outer edge of the base, which are mostly concealed when the sculptured is righted. Some rubbing glaze. The lack of glaze to the lower portion of the base is inherent in the design and not an issue of condition. With scattered surface dirt.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
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The sculpture of Win Ng is emblematic of the bold creativity that characterized the California craft movement of the 1960s.  Embedded within his designs lies a challenge to convention, but with a personal component. 

Ng was a native of San Francisco, where he lived and worked for the majority of his career.  His sculpture is imbued with a personal dichotomy, which adds a rich depth to the pieces.  The "People" series in particular is a manifestation in a sculptural form of a "personality" as described in a recent retrospective of the artist's work. 

Ng's life was a complicated one filled with contrary expectations.  He was a Chinese American raised with a strict cultural association and yet an artist who challenged boundaries.  When one looks at these sculptures within the context of his life, the "People" series appear more as extensions of the many opposing elements of his life.  Ng stated in the early 1960s, "color and glaze aren't imposed on the surface, but grow from the form itself."  The impulse to create for Ng was a highly personal endeavor where the work became empowered self-expressions.