Summary
Hai Ying Wu (also known as Jason Wu) is a Chinese American sculptor best known for his firefighter memorials.[1] and his memorial commemorating the Auto-Lite Strike in Toledo, Ohio.
Hai Ying Wu | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Education | Sichuan Fine Arts Institute |
| Known for | art, memorials |
| Notable work | Seattle Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial, Auto-Lite Strike Memorial |
| Movement | Socialist realism |
A native of China, Wu received his degree in sculpture from the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute, and became staff sculptor for the city of Chengdu on the Chengdu Public Arts Commission.[2][3] He worked primarily in public art and in the "socialist realist" genre.[4] A large number of his public art works can be seen in Chengdu.[2] He participated in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, and was caught in the square when the Chinese military attacked the demonstrators.[5] He emigrated to the United States later that same year, and in time became a U.S. citizen.[3] He worked in construction and as a dishwasher before enrolling in the University of Washington School of Art.[4] He graduated with a Master of Fine Arts degree.[3][6] For his master's thesis, he designed a memorial to 19th-century Chinese railroad workers which was later installed in a park in Tacoma, Washington.[3]
As of 2007, he divided his time between his home in Everett, Washington, and China.[7]
Wu is best known for sculpting the Seattle Fallen Fire Fighters Memorial in Seattle's Pioneer Square.[8] A design competition was held among all interested students in the UW School of Arts, and Wu's design was chosen.[3] He has erected similar memorials throughout the Pacific Northwest. He also created the Auto-Lite Strike Memorial in Toledo, which commemorates the violent United Auto Workers strike of 1934.[9] His work for Compass Health in Everett, Washington, was his first sculpture to focus on children.[10]
Public works edit
Among Wu's public works are:
- "Crane and Turtle" located at North Shore Health Center, Bothell, Washington
- "Dance" in Lynnwood, Washington
- "Emerging" in Renton, Washington
- "The First Pitch" in Redmond, Washington
- "Hide and Seek" at Imagine Children's Museum Collection, Everett, Washington
- "Children Crossing a Stream" at Luther Children's Crisis Facility at Compass Health, Everett, Washington[11]
- "Migration" in Bend, Oregon
- "Mushroom Lanterns” (four separate pieces), a collaboration with Michiko Tanaka, in Seattle, Washington[12]
- "Northglenn Veterans Memorial" in Northglenn, Colorado[13]
- "Seattle Fallen Firefighter's Memorial" in Pioneer Square, Seattle, Washington
- "Team Work" in Glendale, Arizona
References edit
- ^ Christina Hall (June 12, 2007). "Toledo's fallen firefighters are honored in memorial". The Toledo Blade.
- ^ a b "School Offers Art Sessions." The Arlington Times. November 9, 1994.
- ^ a b c d e Monsanto, Mae. "Warning: One Hot Creation." Daily UW. January 21, 1997.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b Paynter, Susan. "Artist Tributes to Firefighters Cause Sparks." Seattle Post-Intelligencer. May 17, 1996.
- ^ "John, Jennifer. "A Promise Kept." UAW Solidarity. December 12, 2002". Archived from the original on January 26, 2009. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
- ^ ""Seattle Fallen Firefighter's Memorial." Seattle Fire Department. City of Seattle, Washington. November 28, 2006". Archived from the original on May 13, 2008. Retrieved March 18, 2009.
- ^ Hall, Christina. "Final 3 Chosen for Memorial to Toledo Firefighters." Toledo Blade. June 11, 2007.
- ^ Schubert, Ruth. "Memorial Honors 31 Firefighters Who Gave Everything." Seattle Post-Intelligencer. January 24, 1997; Ohlsen, Becky. Seattle: City Guide. Oakland, Calif.: Lonely Planet Books, 2008. ISBN 1-74059-834-2.
- ^ "Auto-Lite Strike Memorial." Toledo Blade. May 25, 2006.
- ^ "Artist Gives from the Heart to Encourage Young Troubled Souls." Press release. Compass Health. January 21, 2003.
- ^ "Compass Health Center Gets Sculpture, Merges With Health Provider." Everett Business Journal. March 1, 2003.
- ^ Ray, Roxanne (June 1, 2023). "Mushroom lanterns are coming to Fremont Troll, courtesy of artist Michiko Tanaka and Haiying Wu". International Examiner. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
- ^ "Northglenn Chooses Sculptor." Rocky Mountain News. October 5, 2001.