With a natural intuition of space and balance, his sculptures convey a highly sensual representation of the female body, of couples, mother embracing her child or birds. By revealing the essence of the wood with its grain, knots, curves or even its flaws he gracefully inspires subtle emotions that bring the works to life. He describes his sculptural process as a collaboration of what the wood has to give him and what he can bring to the wood.
Wang Keping (b. 1949, Beijing) is a renowned sculptor who lives and works in France. His sculptures focus on figuration and sensuality. He works primarily in hard woods from France paying particular attention to the natural elements of the wood itself and incorporating them into his work, such as woodgrain patterns, knots, boils and branches.
In his youth, Wang Keping was one of the leaders of China’s first non-conformist artist group, “The Stars” (Xing Xing星星), formed in 1979 during the post-Cultural Revolution “Beijing Spring.” This group of young avant-garde artists challenged the status quo and were pivotal in initiating the debut of free art expressions in the Post-Mao era. Their works were a voice of revolt within a China that was on the verge of transformation.
Wang Keping’s sculptures were some of the most boldly political among the group. Wang Keping left for France in 1984 turning away from political focus. Inspired by the simplicity of the modernist Constantin Brancusi, the elegance of Chinese Han figures and the bruteness of African sculpture, Wang Keping for the last 40 years has honed a unique sculptural voice truly his own.
Wang Keping is recognized internationally and has been collected and exhibited at the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris; the M+ Uli Sigg Collection, Hong Kong; the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, among others. In 2015, he was honored with the Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, in recognition of his significant contribution to the arts.