Wang Guangyi repurposes historical Chinese propaganda into paintings that poke fun at the intersection of China’s communist history and the rise of Western influence. Associated with Political Pop, Wang is best known for his “Great Criticism” series (1998), which includes works like Great Criticism - Louis Vuitton and Great Criticism - Coca Cola, where he juxtaposes red and yellow Mao-era posters with branded symbols, invented serial numbers, and Wang’s own captions (“No!”). An early affiliate of China’s ’85 New Wave Movement, Wang helped usher in the era of contemporary Chinese art and was among the first Chinese artists to co-opt Mao Zedong iconography in his practice.
Wang Guangyi repurposes historical Chinese propaganda into paintings that poke fun at the intersection of China’s communist history and the rise of Western influence. Associated with Political Pop, Wang is best known for his “Great Criticism” series (1998), which includes works like Great Criticism - Louis Vuitton and Great Criticism - Coca Cola, where he juxtaposes red and yellow Mao-era posters with branded symbols, invented serial numbers, and Wang’s own captions (“No!”). An early affiliate of China’s ’85 New Wave Movement, Wang helped usher in the era of contemporary Chinese art and was among the first Chinese artists to co-opt Mao Zedong iconography in his practice.
