Meditation Sculpture
Meditation Sculpture at Phalen Park
Changsha Sculptor Master Lei Yixin creates “Meditation” for Public Art Saint Paul Minnesota Rocks! in 2006, located at Phalen Regional Park
The China Friendship Garden forms a backdrop for the beautiful 7’6″ limestone sculpture entitled “Meditation” that was created by Changsha Master Artist Lei Yixin in June 2006 as part of an International Stone Carving Symposium, titled “Minnesota Rocks!”, envisioned and produced by Public Art Saint Paul. PASP worked with the US-China Peoples Friendship Association-MN and Jennie Hsiao (one of its Board members) to identify Master Lei as an artist for the Symposium.
This sculpture was installed at Phalen Regional Park and dedicated by US Representative Betty McCollum and Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman in July 2007.
Stone of Hope Memorial, Washington, D.C.
The Minnesota Rocks! Symposium came to the attention of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation and its leaders traveled to Minnesota. While visiting the Symposium, they met Master Lei and realized immediately that they had found the artist they had long sought to create the Memorial centerpiece. Master Lei ultimately received the commission and created the 30-foot Martin Luther King, Jr. “Stone of Hope” Memorial, installed in Washington, D.C. and dedicated in 2011 by President Barack Obama. Master Lei has remained a close friend of the Minnesota China Friendship Garden Society and was instrumental in the signing of the 2015 sister parks agreement and the 2018 sister-city gift exchange between St. Paul and the Changsha City government and Changsha Yanghu Wetlands Park.