February 3 Zoe introduces Mao Zedong No.1 by Wang Guang Yi

1.Details of the work
Artist :Wang Guangyi
Title :Mao Zedong No. 1
Year :1988
Medium :Oil on canvas.
Size :59 x 141 in. (150 x 358.1 cm).
Collected :Private collection.

2.Wang Guangyi’s aesthetes value

"To liquidate the enthusiasm of humanism."*
*"To liquidate the enthusiasm of humanism." In Chinese is “清理人文熱情”

3. Mao Zedong No. 1 and History
3.1Background
In the late of 80s , Wang made a set of works about Mao Zedong. Since Mao Zedong died in 1976, The Chairman Mao cult of personality was still prevailing over the China while people were mourning over his death sorrowfully. From that time the portrait of Mao became rarer from that moment. And these works make a strong impact to China.

3.2Expree the theme of history by Content
In Mao Zedong No. 1, Mao’s image was difference form the classic Mao’s image, which is for propaganda poster. Wang want to sent a massage of anti heroism. Using the red and gray color to re-create Mao’s, the red line like a jail for Mao. Wang mocked the dull portrait as usual.

3.3 Express the theme of history by visual Language
• Color: gray tone/ black and white and Red
Gray > Cold color (calm, rational)
>Dead (dead of heroism, idealism)
(dead of Mao and Cultural Revolution)
Red > Symbol of Maoist and used in propaganda poster
In the past, Mao ‘s image always with energy and fresh, like goddess. But Wang used gray color to show a lifeless feeling. Make joke on the dull Mao’s portrait in Culture Revolution.

• Subject matter: Mao
Classic face (boring face)
Mao’s face : symbol of “enthusiasm of humanism” (main sprite of Cultural Revolution)
Icon of Cultural Revolution, Red culture
“Hero” in Chinese history

• Line: straight lines (Rational thinking)

3.4Mao Zedong No. 1 & History
• Provided definite reference to prototypes about complicated or disguised of feeling
• Try to farewell to the Culture Revolution, directly respond to China’s current saturation
• Communist symbols in his work, creating a surprising tension between consumer and Maoist imagery
• Turned away from their earlier heroism, idealism, metaphysics and high-mindedness towards more popular and deconstructionist themes
• Focus on uneasy points of confluence between China’s Maoist past and its promising economic future.
• Wang began to produce Political Pop art rife with irony. He saw irony as a necessary tactic in the tense atmosphere that preceded the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. It was a reaction against the tragically sincere use of symbols
• Wang using cultural capital from a history of suffering, the visual arts is deeply dependent of the cultural context in which works are made, cannot express the massage without history
• These style later become the pre eminent authors of Political Pop.

4.Other issue relate with Mao Zedong No. 1
4.1Political Pop Art
Pop Art in China became a historical commentary; social and political, work that appropriates the visual style of the propaganda of the Cultural Revolution, reworking them in the flat, colorful style of American Pop.

"When Pop Art came back into the scene, it was with relevance to China's history and culture, rather than a mere imitation of the Western version of the art form."

Difference people view’s on Political Pop Art

Chinese viewers: the Chinese political Pop Art represents a memory for the older generation. For the young it holds a mystery that cannot be explained in words

Western viewers: a way to know more Chinese culture and history, perhaps it simply represents enormous collectible value

Chinese artists: allows the modern Chinese artist to enter the international art market place with a much better chance of success
Also, Pop Art is an easy way to understand the artist's spiritual world.

4.2 Wang Guangyi VS Andy Warhol
In China Art field, there have a hit debate between Wang Guangyi and Andy Warhol. As we all know Andy Warhol are king of the Pop Art. Meanwhile People in China called Wang as the leader of political Pop Art. For that reason, some people think that Wang Guangyi is Andy Warhol’s copycat. They question about the value of Wang.

They said that Wang just follow what Andy did, like using the popular icon (for example: coca-cola) to earn money.

Andy Warhol:

Green Coca Cola Bottles (1962)
Andy Warhol selected an icon of mass-produced, consumer culture of the time, the Coca-Cola bottle. The familiar curved Coke bottle was part of the visual imagery American consumers encountered frequently. (Copy from http://www.oil-painting-shop.com)

Wang Guangyi:
Wang said that coca cola and farmer-army could create a cultural conflict. He wanted to put history and now together and let citizen think. (More details: http://blog.udn.com/ibao/2770688)

People claim that Andy Warhol gain a first move benefit of Pop Art. Andy’s work are reflection of American Society, but Wang’s work not. Wang’s works are outdated, cannot show the mass culture of modern China. Those works is just for money.
They think if Wang just using the Pop Art skill and keep repeating the same style. It’s meaningless.

5.My opinion (with Quotation)

“Respond to china’s current transformation, not to history or memory”

-Wu Hung (1999) "Ruins, Fragmentation, and the Chinese Modern/Postmodern". In Gao Minglu (ed.), Inside Out: New Chinese Art (exh. cat.). New York: Asia Society Galleries and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art; Berkeley: University of California Press. 59-65

My view:
I don’t agree with this statement, because we cannot separate with history. Even though we may want to escape / deny our history, but we are part of the history. Especially in the Cultural Revolution, whatever the artists did, they still have to face the history.

6. Question

“History” sells!
The theme of Chinese history art works have a good price in current art market, some people claim that they just work for money but not about Chinese history, what do think about their work? History art works for marketplace or critic?

My answer:
I believe that the first motivation of Wang and the others was good. They want to tell the truth/history of China. However, after money involved, something change, Wang made countless of works in a SAME style. In my point of view, later period works are totally about money.

7.Reference

Chinese Pop Art
http://www.fineartregistry.com/articles/zhao_lihua/chinese-pop-art.php

Wei Guangqing: His Historicalized Pop Art
http://www.shanghartgallery.com/galleryarchive/texts/id/725;jsessionid=0373028f4cb49aa5d026d894561d

Wang Guangyi
Wang Guangyi > http://wangguangyi.artron.net/main.php

Andy Warhol VS Wang Guangyi
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/ailleurs-art/article?mid=68&prev=79&next=42