Art, Media and Politics in Mainland China CCCH9017 People, Propaganda and Profit: Understanding Media in China Ling-Yun Tang, Dept. of Sociology, HKU November 10, 2010

“Art Worlds” Howard Becker (1982): "the network of people whose cooperative activity, organized via their joint knowledge of conventional means of doing things, produce(s) the kind of art works that art world is noted for." Factory 798, Beijing

Wang Guangyi (b. 1956) “Great Criticism Series: Coca-Cola” (2000)

Wang Guangyi (b. 1956) “Great Criticism Series: Chanel No. 5” (2001)

Fang Lijun (b. 1963), “Series 2, No. 2” (1991-1992)

Yue Minjun (b. 1962) “A Pyramid” (2001)

Zhang Xiaogang (b. 1958) “Bloodlines Series” (1995)

Liu Xiaodong (b. 1963), “Sanxia Da Yimin”

Art and the new nation (1949-1956) 1954, Chairman Mao gives us a happy life 1950, Celebrating National Day Source: chineseposters.net

Celebrating the Great Leap Forward (1956-1960) 1959, The virtues of the canteen system 1958, Study the Soviet Union 1958, People’s communes

Defining China’s domestic and foreign image 1962, Hard work and fragrant flowers 1965, Anti-American imperialism

The Cultural Revolution (1966-76) 1968, MZD thought in literature and arts 1966, Building a new world with MZD thought 1970, Revolution and production

The post-reform period: progressing towards modernity 1986 1997, One country, two systems 1987, One-child policy

Art world timeline (1949-1990s) 1950s-60s: Artists born in these decades mandated to create politically correct art, serving Party, revolution 1950: CAFA founded (Min. of Educ.)--introduced curriculum based on Marxism-Leninism and taught Soviet style socialist realism 1966-76: CAFA at center of propaganda machine (did not ease up till Deng reforms) Late-1970s: “art of the wounded”, Star Group Mid-1980s: abstract expressionism, ‘80s wave 1989-1992: freeze on exhibitions 1990s: opening to global market; “Mao Craze”, Cynical Realist, Political Pop

Inside the Chinese contemporary art scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhsCDqGb_LE

Artists as provocateurs Artists as cultural workers (1949-1976) Artists as creators of unique works of art Artists as entrepreneurs Artists as partners in the process of “creative destruction” of cities Artists as social commentators and critics Ai Weiwei (b. 1957), “Sunflower Seeds” (2010), sculpture installation, Tate Modern, UK

2007, “Template” (before and after collapse), Kassel, Germany 1995, “Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn”

Li Jikai (b. 1975) “Dirt 7” (2001)

Li Jikai (b. 1975) “Break Out of Soil” (2006)

Wei Jia (b. 1975), “Discover” (2007)

Qiu Xiaofei (b. 1977) “Pagoda of the Discarded No. 8” (2008)

Han Yajuan (b. 1980) “Vodka with Red Bull” (2008)

Cao Fei (b. 1978), “Cos Players” (2004)

Cao Fei (b. 1978), “Whose Utopia” (2006-07)

Cao Fei (b. 1978), “RMB City” (2008)

Cao Fei (b. 1978), “RMB City” (2008) (characters China Tracy and China Sun)

Chi Peng (b. 1981) “Sprinting Forward” (2004)

“Infantization” (Guodong Shidai) group show, Shanghai Art Museum, May 28, 2007

The Rising Tide Dir. Robert Adanto (2008) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mA3enB0G2sM (0:00-4:56) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlfaN_bz8bQ&feature=related (0:55-4:31)

Implications of art world development for state-society relations 2010, Guangzhou Opera House 2005, condemned building, Beijing

Artists’ struggle for professional status (Kraus 2004) Viewing art as being “politicized” not very illuminating For artists, commercial pressures have replaced political ones Quest for professional autonomy--not simply artists being “rebels” State now sharing patronage with diffuse commercial market Artistic autonomy is not a matter of conscious policy How to preserve “socialist spiritual civilization”?