Figuring out the human soul

An ongoing exhibition pays tribute to the work of eminent sculptor Wu Weishan, Lin Qi reports.

Over the past three decades, Wu Weishan, 57, director of the National Art Museum of China and an eminent sculptor in his own right, has been profiling the soul of society by producing sculptures of people considered to be the greatest minds in Chinese history.

He has achieved prominence for adopting an approach of "sculpting the spirit" which is grounded in Chinese aesthetics. His works, either transmitting solemn beauty or the joy of daily life, demonstrate a balance of intricacy between the subject's figurative and spiritual resemblance, awing audiences both at home and abroad.