Zhou Tiehai

Zhou Tiehai was determined to make a name for himself in the international art world, and he succeeded, reaping the benefits of the market even while exposing its absurdities. For Zhou, the process proved as simple as creating fake magazine covers that hailed him as a rising art star; the works delivered a self-fulfilling prophecy, and now his large-scale airbrush paintings are highly sought after, despite not bearing any traces of the artist’s own hand (they are executed by a team of assistants). Known for their cheekiness, Zhou’s signature “Joe Camel” paintings feature the cigarette company’s mascot replacing the subjects in iconic works by Leonardo da Vinci, Francisco de Goya, Richard Prince, and Jeff Koons. Joe Camel has been described as Zhou’s alter ego and a spoof on Westerners, who are sometimes stereotyped in China as having big noses.