Wu Shanzhuan is considered one of the most prominent figures of the 1980s Conceptual art movement in China, and as well as one of the first of his peers to incorporate textual pop references. A 1986 work titled Red Humor International was the pivotal work in Wu’s career and the marker of what would become his style thereafter. The installation famously featured a breadth of texts—including political catechisms, lines of Buddhist scripture, and advertising slogans—as a critical look at both Chinese history and contemporary mass media. For a period of time, Wu was married to and collaborated with artist Inga Svala Thórsdóttir. He is often cited as a major influence on Wenda Gu and Xu Bing.