Honors and Titles:Tian holds three world sculpture records:1. Fastest creation speed, completing a sculpture in clay in 45 minutes.2. Highest number of sculptures in various themes including ancient Chinese sages, horses, figures from the Republic of China era, and Tibetan figures.3. Consistently producing over 300 sculptures annually, earning him the title of the world's most prolific sculptor.
Tian Yuemin (b. 1958, Shandong, China) is widely regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary Chinese sculpture. With a career spanning over four decades, his work bridges traditional Chinese aesthetics with modern public art practice. He is known for transforming historical memory into monumental form and for introducing a symbolic language rooted in Chinese philosophy, especially through his signature use of the horse as a metaphor for energy, freedom, and resilience.
Tian received his foundational training during a pivotal time in China’s cultural transformation. He studied under several national-level master sculptors, who played critical roles in shaping post-revolutionary art education in China. This background gave Tian a rigorous academic grounding in realism, while his personal artistic evolution integrated traditional Chinese ink aesthetics and a poetic sensibility uncommon in monumental sculpture.
His large-scale public commissions, often state-commissioned, can be found across China and internationally. More recently, his work has been featured in major cultural events in the Middle East and North America, underscoring his role as a cross-cultural ambassador of Chinese contemporary art.
In 2024, Tian co-founded Samia Art Gallery in Dubai—the first Chinese-owned contemporary art gallery in the UAE—and served as chief curator for its inaugural exhibition. In 2025, he was appointed Resident Artist of the Dubai World Cup, designing the official equestrian sculpture and VIP trophy installation.
Educational & Professional Background
• 1978–1982: Studied Oil Painting at Qufu Normal University
• 1982–1986: Worked in visual design at China University of Petroleum; began formal training in sculpture
• 1986–1995: Senior sculptor at the National Museum of China; created nationally significant historical reliefs
• 1990–1991: Advanced studies at Central Academy of Fine Arts (Beijing) under China’s top sculpture educators
• 1995–Present: Independent artist specialising in large-scale public sculpture and experimental ink sculpture
• Has completed over 2,000 works, many commissioned by governments, universities, and cultural foundations
Selected Major Public Works
General Chennault & Chinese Soldiers
Los Angeles, USA
2025
Cube: Galloping (Equestrian Installation)
Dubai World Cup VIP Hall, UAE
2025
Peace Statue (w/ Pan He, Cheng Yunxian)
Nagasaki Peace Park, Japan
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Nine Horses of Youth
Youth Olympic Plaza, Nanjing, China
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Zengzi Monument (Confucian Scholar)
Suizhou, Hubei (18m)
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Worker–Peasant–Soldier Group
Beijing Film Studio, China
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Four Soviet Experts Sculpture
Beijing Exhibition Center
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Lord Chunshen Statue
Shanghai
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Yang Guanghua Sculpture
China University of Petroleum, Qingdao
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Zeng Chengkui Sculpture
Bright Moon Seaweed HQ, Qingdao
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Yu Youren Sculpture
Sanyuan, Shaanxi
Recent International Activities (2020–2025)
2025
• Los Angeles: Lead artist for General Chennault & Chinese Soldiers statue; honoured by Lu Xun Cultural Foundation and Flying Tigers Association
• Dubai:
• Appointed Resident Artist of Dubai World Cup; created official champion horse sculpture
• Featured at BA Auction House showcasing equine-themed sculpture
• Hong Kong: Contributed a Teresa Teng sculpture for her 30th memorial charity concert
2024
• Dubai: Co-founded Samia Art Gallery; curated and exhibited in the gallery’s launch exhibition “Summon Your Art”
2023
• Beijing: Participated in “Ink Affinity: Five-Person Exhibition” hosted by Yidege
2020
• Appointed visiting expert at Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts
Selected International Cultural Engagements
• United Nations Headquarters (USA): Sculpture exhibition
• Columbia University (USA): Guest lecture and academic exchange
• Japan: Peace sculpture in Tokyo; cultural portraits and exhibitions
• Peru: Commissioned statue of President Toledo during APEC
• Colombia: “Visual Chinese Dream” exhibition in Bogotá
• Kazakhstan: Gold Medal for sculpture, Astana Expo 2017
• Taiwan, Mongolia, Thailand, Hong Kong: Participated in various art tours and exhibitions
• UAE (Dubai): Major works exhibited at Dubai World Cup and BA Auction House
Artistic Philosophy
Tian describes sculpture as “the engraving of collective memory and the spiritual continuity of a people.”
Blending realism with poetic symbolism, his use of the horse reflects a timeless cultural code in both Eastern and Western traditions. Each work carries a meditative sense of rhythm and motion, offering viewers a dialogue between history and inner strength.
His personal motto:
“Each piece is the most recent one I’ve ever completed.”
Representation
Samia Art Gallery
• Co-founded by Tian Yuemin in 2024
• The first Chinese-owned contemporary art gallery in the UAE
Location: Al Quoz Industrial Area 3, Dubai, UAE
Website: www.samiaart.com
Email: hello@samiaart.com