Born in Harbin, China of Korean descent, Jin grew up as the son of a machinist. His creativity came from early childhood. The young Feng Jin often played in his fatherÕs work place and fell in love with hand tools, old gears and other bent metals. After graduating from high school, Jin went to the Central Institute of Fine Arts of China, Beijing, putting in five years of studying and creating sculptures.
Although most of the Art Institutes in China did not cover metal sculpture at that time, Jin was encouraged by teachers to move forward into metal sculptureÕs design and production. Due to the limitation of tools and materials, producing metal sculptures proved to be difficult and challenging for a college student. Jin often needed to lean on his father for use of metal welding and fabricating equipment in the government-owned machine shop. The materials he used were mostly scrap metals and parts from some machines. Since then, Jin has self trained in metal work and being more interested in abstract sculpture making.
After graduating from college, Jin became a professor teaching sculpture and art history in the Fine Arts Department of Xuan Wu Hong Qi Vocational University, Beijing. Three years later, he decided to come to the U.S. to continue refining his style and improving production techniques in metal. Jin works in a variety of metals: bronze, steel, stainless steel and cast iron. His work represents a variety of styles and subjects, with forms ranging from realistic bust/figure sculptures to large abstract metal pieces.
Creating large sculptures is JinÕs goal. His dream is to have a sculpture park in which his metal offspring can run free.
NAME: Jin, Feng
BIRTH YEAR: 1966
PLACE OF BIRTH: Harbin, China
EDUCATION: Central Institute of Fine Arts of China, B.A. (1987 - 1992)
MAJOR: Sculpture
WORKING EXPERIENCE
2005 - present
Moved to East Bay Alameda. Still making sculpture full-time.
2000 - 2005
Become a full-time sculptor.
1996 - 2000
Moved to San Francisco. Worked at a machine shop full-time and making sculpture part-time.
1993-1995
Supervisor of Design and Production Department, Beijing Urban Environment Art Institution.
Supervisor of Carving Department, a Korean enterprise in Beijing.
1992-1995
Junior Lecturer in Fine Arts Department,
Beijing Xuan Wu Hong Qi Vocational University.
Subjects taught: Sculpture, 3-D Studies, Sketch and Anatomy.
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