Chen Weiming (sculptor)

Chen Wenming
Bearded Asian male wearing a white and red scarf.
Chen Weiming in Syria, 2010.
Born
Hangzhou, China
NationalityNew Zealand

Chen Weiming (Chinese: 陳維明, born c. 1970) [1][2][3] is a Chinese-born New Zealand artist and sculptor.[4] Chen was commissioned by the New Zealand government to create a 3-metre bronze statue of Edmund Hillary in 1991. In 2008, he created a 6.4 metres high replica of the Goddess of Democracy that stood in the Chinese University of Hong Kong until 23 December 2021.[5] In June 2021 and June 2022, Chen unveiled a pair of 30-foot-high sculptures at Yermo's open-air High Desert art centre called Liberty Sculpture Park.[6] Chen created a large-scale relief representation of the Tiananmen massacre in 2009, on the 20th anniversary of the massacre. The Tiananmen massacre relief and the Goddess of Democracy replica were both displayed in Hong Kong during protests in 2010.

Chen was born in Hangzhou, China, and emigrated to New Zealand in 1988. He holds a New Zealand passport as well as permanent residence in the United States, and lives in both countries.

In 2011, Chen traveled to Syria to fight alongside Free Syrian Army rebels fighting in the Syrian uprising.

  1. ^ "他雕刻六四時光與糾結". 亚洲周刊. 2010. Archived from the original on 21 June 2020.
  2. ^ "踏上不归路的雕刻家". 美国之音中文网. 2 June 2012.
  3. ^ "民主女神雕塑家：這裏只有與中共鬥爭的風暴美國荒漠成英靈安息地". 苹果日报. 14 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Chen Weiming - Art Next Gallery". www.artnextgallery.com. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  5. ^ faz.net: Hongkonger Denkmalsturm zu Weihnachten
  6. ^ Charlie McGee. "High Desert artist Weiming Chen unveils anti-Chinese government sculpture after original burned down". Victorville Daily Press. Retrieved 16 June 2022.