Wang Wenhai’s work takes the form of celebratory monuments to Chairman Mao, the great leader of the People's Republic of China. They range in size from tabletop clay busts to larger-than-life sculptures in fibreglass. His work is a reminder of the extent to which Chairman Mao is part of the folklore and culture of China.
From the time of his graduation until his retirement, Wang Wenhai has lived and worked in Yan’an in Shaanxi Province, which is at the end of the 9500 kilometre Long March. The monumental Mao Zedong with Mao Zedong 2003 presents Mao as both Chairman and Emperor and belongs to a more recent development in the artist’s work. Chairman Mao’s ultimate status as an autocrat is clearly indicated in this dual representation of him as both Chairman of the People’s Republic and a detached imperial ruler.
As part of the Long March Project, Wang Wenhai’s sculptures have been exhibited in 'A Second Sight: Prague Biennale 2', National Gallery Prague, Czech Republic, in 2005; at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyon, France, in 2004; and at venues in China including the Cultural Transmission Center, Beijing, in 2003.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA
A full-colour publication is available from the Gallery Store.
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