"Truly great men spring up in contemporary era". Following the successful launch of “NAMOC Makes Sculptures for Model Heroes and Model Workers” with thunderous social praises (the first event of NAMOC Sculpture Workshop) on September 13, 2017, in conjunction with “Carve the Era—Art Exhibition of Young Sculptors” co-organized by NAMOC and China Arts Foundation, the second event of NAMOC Sculpture Workshop—“NAMOC Makes Statues for Figures in the New Era” once again raised the curtain on the morning of April 14, 2018. Mr. Wu Weishan, Director of NAMOC, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech. Mr. Zhang Qing, Deputy Director of NAMOC, presided over this event.

Mr. Wu Weishan said in his speech as follows: “This is neither an ordinary sketching activity, nor a sketching course. Especially under the guidance of literary and artistic thought advocated by General Secretary Xi Jinping, this is practical action taken by NAMOC so as to gain insights into appraoches to taking root in daily life and common people, describing the daily life and common people, eulogizing the new era, common people, heroes and socialism”. According to him, NAMOC should undertake this mission, mold statues for model heroes, model workders and excellent figures in the new era, retain their brilliant images, and carry forward their lofty spirit.

On April 14, 2018, some representatives were invited to serve as statue models, such as Ye Zhenhuan (83 years old, National-level Excellent Cultural Volunteer, Honorary Volunteer of NAMOC and retired Professor of China University of Geosciences); Sun Zhibao (42 years old, National-level Labor Model Worker and Employee of Beijing Environmental Sanitation Engineering Group Co., Ltd); Jia Zhiying (23 years old, squad leader of a division affiliated to Beijing Armed Police Corps, with guard duties for NAMOC).

The sculptors, who participated in this sculptural event, included Li Xuanfeng (Associate Professor of School of Fine Arts, Northeast Normal University), Ma Wenjia (Assistant Professor of Department of Sculpture, Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University) and Liu Qing (Member of Sculpture Art Committee of the Chinese Artists Association). They are not only outstanding trainees selected from National Thematic Art Creation Tutorial Class under the auspice of Ministry of Culture (Sculpture Workshop), but also exhibitors of “Carve the Era—Art Exhibition of Young Sculptors”.

As the mentor and headteacher of this sculpture workshop, Mr. Wu Weishan comments that this sculpture workshop is aimed to create works and help trainees gain ground. Creation of a batch of high-quality works is not the sole purpose of this sculpture workshop, as its ultimate goal is to incubate a group of high-level artists. Through this national-level platform built for trainees, these trainees will shape up themselves and the times, finally moves towards the whole world, and demonstrate China’s cultural confidence.

On the site of NAMOC Art Education Space, the sculptors created improvisations, meticulously portrayed the models, and molded for unity of form and spirit. Their hands responded with delicacy to whatever the minds directed the image. Images and spirtual temperaments of representative figures in the new era were vividly immersed in the statues. People from all walks of life, such as from communities, universities, military units, enterprises and public institutions watched the whole process of sculptors’ statue modeling for figures in the new era. They not only learned sculpture art knowledge and creative techniques, but also felt amazed at the charms of live artistic creation and the spirit of representative figures in the new era. During and after the sculpture process, the sculptors interacted with the models from time to time, activley responded to questions and comments from the visitors, and took group photos to mark the occasion.

It is reported that “NAMOC Makes Statues for Figures in the New Era” will become the thematic brand for NAMOC public education events of NAMOC Sculpture Workshop Series, which will be continuously held in future.