Taihu Rock - East Wind II

This hollowed-out, perforated form is modeled after a “scholar’s rock” (gongshi, 供石), a type of water-eroded stone collected by Chinese scholars since the Tang dynasty (618–907) and treasured for embodying nature’s essence. Although “Taihu rock” refers to the limestone formations found in Lake Tai in Jiangsu province, Ren cast this manmade slab from nickel silver. Influenced by his studies under master calligrapher Wang Dongling, Ren composed the sculpture to resemble cursive Chinese calligraphy spelling out “east wind” (dongfeng, 東風). This phrase references a Chinese idiom that encourages total preparation, in case a critical element is missing: “Everything is ready except the east wind.”