Liberty Sculpture Park: The Pursuit of Liberty and Freedom Through Stories and Art

SPEAKER_02 0:05

Hello everyone, this is Howard Fox and I am back in Newberry Springs, California. Today is May 2nd. It is the birthday batch, the long-awaited birthday batch to celebrate uh the Route 66 Centennial. And as I came back to Newberry Springs today for the celebration, I'm hoping to do a couple more interviews. And one in particular that I was really looking forward to, there is a wonderful uh sculpture park between Yermo and uh Newberry Springs. Actually, it is in Yermo. It's actually right near where we uh were at the thrift shop uh with uh Ron Burdellis, just a little past, there's this wonderful, unique park, and I have the pleasure to bring onto the podcast Mr. Wyming Chen. Mr. Chen is the sculpturer of this wonderful park, and if you are driving down the I-15, either going towards LA or going towards Las Vegas, you're gonna see it right on the 15. But right now I have the pleasure again of introducing you to Mr. Wyming Chen. Mr. Chen, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast. Welcome.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Hi, it's I'm welcome and appreciate uh you interviewing me. It's uh I'm uh Chen Sculptor, it's a professional sculptor from China. So and uh around eight years ago I was uh to here at Yemo and find this piece amazing land. I think this is very good for me, step for the Liberty Sculpture Park. You see the garden, the sculpture gardens, the full name is Liberty Sculpture Park. Why is it the liberty? Because liberty and the freedom is our whole human being's value. The American value is freedom.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Right.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

The human being the value is freedom. Also the Chinese we are in forest, we are in greater here. Right. So I think this is very important for history and uh for art, culture and political the this liberty sculpture park is very important. So I uh with my friend we are volunteer we are say we established here as starting the last eight years and for liberty sculpture park. You ask me which is first sculpture because the liberty I think uh very important the man's call crazy horse.

SPEAKER_02 2:58

Crazy horse, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Crazy horse. This is a hero with not just um regional Indian people, also the American hero. Right. So we are come here should uh respect to him. Okay. So my first one is uh Crazy Horse. Crazy horse. Yeah, it's my first one. It's uh eight years ago. We uh established here. Oh fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 3:33

2017.

SPEAKER_00 3:36

Okay. This is the birthday 150 years. Okay Crazy Horse.

SPEAKER_02 3:41

Oh okay, wow, a lot of birthdays. This is very good uh a lot of birthdays. Route 66, Crazy Horse. Uh-huh. And I mean, growing up, I don't think we were given the the type of education I think to value people who cared about freedom and individual rights, group rights. Because it we we live in in a world where people in power take things and and and sometimes at taking things it displaces people on the on their own land. Yes, yes. And I think the the message that you that you're sharing out in uh out in the the the sculpture park is definitely very passionate about liberty. I mean the Liberty Bell was not lost on me. I was uh looking at it and taking pictures of it and and through the other sculptures. As you continue to produce your your work, what how do you decide what your next work of art is going to be and what's the message that you hope to take away with those pieces of art? And y I know we took a picture of one that you're going to unveil i i next month. I don't know if that's something you want to share, but what what strikes at your heart that like I want to produce a piece? It's important and I want to sh it for myself as a as a sculpturer, but also for the folks that are gonna come into the park and see it. What do what's that inspiration that you decide what you're going to produce?

SPEAKER_00 5:17

Uh yes, this is uh because it's uh freeding sculpturing. So so many people in the history also there's uh movement, the um democracy movement is still so many people sacrifice uh for this great job, great work. So this is very important. So I start uh the history is critical, they uh protect uh their home. So it's uh I in the background I say give me liberty or give me death. Okay, so also this is in the China's uh thirty-seven years ago the TM mask also they uh same so same say uh give me liberty or give me death. The peop human being being still keep like American knows every people's freedom, can free speech, free publish, right? Everything's okay, but in the China still we need a struggle. So this is uh you can say six floor is June 4th. Okay. Some people ask me, hey, here's a six sixth uh, why your sixth floor? What's meaning? Uh okay somebody smiles, oh this is uh the uh the book in the Ali is the birthday sixth sixth, okay. John Muhammad Ali so okay so maybe you remember him? Actually yes, if you like it can like that, but uh I remember every this sacrifice sacrifice for freedom, right? Okay, the hero. So now this is before in Hong Kong and uh people died uh COVID-19 and um and uh another co survival for communist party so many people died in the and not just China East Europe and uh Russia so many people died with the communist party. Right. I have a big uh statue of this 16,000 skeleton in the city.

SPEAKER_02 7:42

Oh, the skulls, the skeleton the tr the uh pyramid. Yeah. The pyramid, yeah, yeah. I saw that.

SPEAKER_00 7:47

The logo is uh the the the communist logo in the top.

SPEAKER_02 7:52

Right. The read one is it's kind of like you're building this society on the on the on the lives of Yeah, Dark and some so many people.

SPEAKER_00 8:03

This is very miserable.

SPEAKER_01 8:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

So now I have another the new sculpture will coming.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 8:11

Now it's American people and uh whole the world care about the Ukraine the war. Right. Ukraine war because uh Russia tagged him. So I make this is uh uh it's June 6th. June 6th. Yeah, this year will be coming for an event and June 6th.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

So you're gonna have another you have the sculpture, are you gonna have another 6-6 up there?

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Yeah, yes. The the new statues, uh the the base, uh all the destroy the the concrete, you know the base. The and the top have three soldiers, they save for the people like one girl for the girl and uh and they save her in the country and destroy the concrete. It's a building, destroy the building. Okay. It is my this is the new statue.

SPEAKER_02 9:11

Okay. Do you have a cadence of how many when you decide you're gonna produce a piece of work, do you do you have a cadence of this year I want to work on this piece and it's just one piece, or do you have in your mind uh a number of pieces that you want to do?

SPEAKER_00 9:29

Uh yes, so many in the because of so many work I should uh to um make a sculpture like like this year I will just finish the the human rights lawyer got the sons sculpture, bigger hand. Right. Look at the sky, this is this new one. I saw it. A few months ago, the finish. So this is Ukraine the uh keep the freedom, this is uh 6.6. Right. So next year I will be make uh the China very important uh for stop uh Korean 19. This call white paper the movement.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

Right.

SPEAKER_00 10:17

Yeah. What's we mean white paper?

SPEAKER_01 10:20

Right.

SPEAKER_00 10:21

Because in China you hold any war something or you protest uh protest uh you against the Chinese uh regime the dictator would be say you are badly for uh this country. So take how they are in the jail. Now they just uh with uh it should a for the paper. No any meaning. Just white paper. White paper. I love that. Yeah but the Chinese game still catch them. See you think the white paper you nothing meaning. Right. I never never seen anything, I just white paper. But I know you want to see. You try to see what you want to see. Because the white paper nothing to say, but uh Chinese government say we know it. The policy say we know you why you with the white paper. What you want to say, we know you. Right. So rest of you.

SPEAKER_02 11:25

I I don't think that is happening here in the United States. Not you you think. Not to get political, but there was an individual, former FDI FBI director. Uh well, he was somewhere and the no the number is 8647. Oh. Okay. Oh. And so 86 means something. I don't know if if you know what that means. Um we don't have to talk about I'll talk after, but it but 8647 could be the the 47th president of the United States or the 45th president. So 8645. So 86 means Alexis so but I love the fact that you just hold up the white paper and it it it means something. I mean, there unfortunately the the the the party kind of catches on what it means, but it's symbolic.

SPEAKER_00 12:18

Yes, but I will make a hungry one the life size a little bit uh uh bigger than life size, this uh sculpture with the white bit show everyone what's happening in the China. I love that.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

I love that. What type of medium do you use or in your sculptures? Is it concrete, is it uh met what types of metals, stones? What are the types of materials you're using?

SPEAKER_00 12:47

Uh um here I normally I use serial material. The for bronze too expensive to function, they charge a lot. So normally I use the um standing steel and uh another rebar and uh steel. The bigger one that had the the CCP virus. Because the first one the the I used the um f fiberglass. They b I they melted it. I I saw that. It's disgusting. Uh yes the first one fiberglass uh easy burning. Right. The the CCP the aging the um destroy burning down the sculpture.

SPEAKER_01 13:34

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

So I make a second CCP virus use the riba and the steel. So no way like uh bridges was very very stronger, so they give up. I love it. So this is uh I use uh the the mental okay and standing still and um and ribar and uh another use fiberglass. Okay. And uh now I use more that is uh um concrete. Make uh color looks like bronze, so more heavy.

SPEAKER_02 14:11

I guess it's concrete. In addition to your hard work and creativity inspiration, I would imagine you have a team of folk working with you.

SPEAKER_00 14:24

Yes, here it's all volunteer. Okay. We know any support from the official or from the government. If for society uh some like New York have a society um called human rights society and foundation. Right. Early once and just finish no no more. So every we have a donation box over there. Right. So yes, so many guests and tourists um pass this here. Look at the oh the amazing sculpture. Oh, very surprised. So give some money, twenty dollars, hundred dollars, put a box. This I'm very happy. Not just money. They like our part. Right. This is very important. Yes, because my work, okay, they like they they we say oh you should pay ticket, but uh they pay donation for us. So this is for me um okay. Um feel very happy because uh American people tourist and uh from some uh Europe money, some's uh Japanese money, very some Chinese money. All different different. I say oh this uh from here so many people look at this sculpture, they like this for my I'm sculptor, very, very important.

SPEAKER_02 16:16

And and a lot of those sculptures, they they again they they they they prompt you to feel to really feel it with your heart because they mean something. Ukraine today, Tinium Square, the Liberty Bell, Crazy Horse, they are all symbolic. So every there could be whoever visits the park, whoever from whatever country, state they came from, there's gonna be one sculpture or more that like they feel it and they're gonna want to continue to support that through the through the donations. How are you being treated as a uh coming here and establishing this park? Uh in this or in the beautiful desert, it's there's clear skies, open land. How do you how do you feel about the the community welcoming you into this into into this area?

SPEAKER_00 17:05

This uh first I always my friend is come here the the Yemo. First say here is uh have the big uh land, white the desert. This is uh very good for so such a hero sacrifice for freedom. Right. I think this is a good place. Also here the land is cheap. I I have with my friend I can buy. Also here have a very good name, the Yemo in the China. Yes, yes, yes, it's Jesus. Yes with Jesus in here okay. Moses Musi. Musi is uh like Isle with some people out of the um Yerusalem to Exodus from oh uh each of the Jupiter, so so this is uh the most is very important uh people in the um Bible. Excellent. Yes and the Yesu and the most we are foreigners, we uh struggle for democracy. So this structure for history people we should follow them for people good life for so for human beings. So I think this is a very good place for we are still here.

SPEAKER_01 18:34

Excellent.

SPEAKER_00 18:34

But uh this also here is uh the big Wendy also have earthquake here three times and and too hot 14 degrees. It's hot out here, yes. This is uh very hard for us.

SPEAKER_02 18:55

Right. But this is how you stay thin, all that hard work you're doing building sculptures stay thin.

SPEAKER_00 19:00

Yeah, I think it but uh everything should be people to uh struggle. Right. Like American people in the desert, they make a beautiful city like Las Vegas. Before nothing, just desert. They can make so beautiful, very surprised for all the world best uh city in the Las Vegas. So we are just make a park.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:28

I think we are volunteer, should be run from the American spirit. Make Las Vegas, we should make the park. Right. And now even no money, no spot, we still can keep a clean. But uh we know people like this work.

SPEAKER_01 19:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 19:48

Our work, our park. That's very important.

SPEAKER_02 19:51

Well you have the location, it literally you're right off of the freeway, so it's a wonderful location. And really, Mr. Channel, our hope is as we share these episodes, more folks who are making the trek from California, LA to Las Vegas, because that's probably where they're going. Yeah, that they'll they're gonna not just see the sign that the Liberty Sculpture Park, but they're also going to want to stop in and see more about see it and understand what the significance is of it. We really appreciate you taking the time out of your what's the weekend, and hopefully you get to relax, you don't have to work seven days a week, but uh really appreciate you taking the time today to to chat with us for the podcast and really appreciate it. It was really was very uh adamant about really you really need to see this park, and I think you're gonna enjoy it. And Mr. Chen is gonna be a great interview. So uh I can say this was well worth it. I enjoyed spending some time in the park taking some great photos. Uh we'll share the photos, plus one of your YouTube videos on our on our show notes, and so that more folks who are coming through this area can stop in, see the park, make a donation, and tell their friends, and then it keeps snowballing from there.

SPEAKER_00 21:10

Thank you. So yeah, so many artists support very great artwork for people to see, enjoy the artwork. Some uh artists uh have some work uh wall on the inside uh in the room people can enjoy sort of work. So my work is now more focused to um emotional can can touch and uh your heart.

SPEAKER_01 21:48

Right.

SPEAKER_00 21:49

Yeah. Punch your heart into you and you make a shock, maybe not lovely, beautiful this thing. But I think also this war have something powerful. Some miserable.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Right.

SPEAKER_00 22:08

We should have a lot of people.

SPEAKER_02 22:09

Well it's kind of like the punch you in the st heart, the stomach to take action. It's one thing to say, oh that's beautiful piece. Yeah. But also art should promote action. Yeah. And I think that's what your your your park is doing.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

Oh well what's I want to show people. Right. And so the people passed uh Los Angeles to Las Vegas and from San Diego, Santiago and uh and and San Francisco to beautiful city Las Vegas also can say here so many people they are struggle they are sacrificed for a beautiful America.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Definitely, most definitely that. And that sentiment that that tugs very deeply, especially this time of the uh the season we are living in. Mr. Chen, if our listeners to this podcast episode want to know more about you and your work, make a donation, where are the best places to go so they can find you on the internet?

SPEAKER_00 23:20

We are internet uh you can find the donation the the uh sculpture um park uh donation something.

SPEAKER_02 23:31

Okay. Yeah. We'll provide the link to Liberty Sculpture Park in our show notes. I know you have a YouTube channel. Uh Jonas was sharing the YouTube yesterday and I was watching those. And I I think you said you're also on X, so we'll put used to be Twitter. We'll provide links in our show notes for that. Okay?

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Also, I this uh sculpture park open for everyone. So we are every time I just ask anyone no ticket, just for this uh benefit for everyone. This is for freedom. We keep um American.

SPEAKER_02 24:11

Good. Yeah, very good. Thank you again for spending time with us today. Excellent. Thank you. Alright, I'm gonna do a quick close and then you and I can have a final chat, okay? Okay, all right. All right, folks, we have just been chatting with uh Waiming Chen. Mr. Chen is the sculpturer uh of the at the Liberty Sculpture Park uh here in Yermo, California. Literally, folks, you can't miss it if you are driving on the 15 uh from LA, San Diego to Las Vegas. It is on the uh south side of the freeway. Do stop in and uh spend some time. It's actually a drive-thru park in a way. You could park your car, but literally, you can literally drive around, see the sculpture, get out, see the uh the descriptions uh that have been written, and really there's a lot of uh sculpture here that really does tug at your heart, and we hope you do take advantage of it. We'll provide all the backlinks in our show notes again on the website as well as the social sites. As for us, you can find this episode on our website, outdooradventureseries.com. The YouTube of this video, which will include a slideshow of photos that I took, I'll also incorporate one of the uh YouTube videos, uh Mr. Chen's uh video library of the park. And of course, you can find us on LinkedIn and Facebook on our outdoor adventure series pages, and also wherever you listen to your podcast from, just search for outdoor adventure series and remember to like, comment, and share this episode. All right, folks, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, go out there, have a fantastic day, and we look forward to having you join us on a future episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series podcast. Take care now.