Author Description

The image of Chairman Mao (Mao Zedong) is arguably one of the most reproduced in modern history. Long since liberated from its original propagandist purpose, it has become a prism through which artists, from Andy Warhol to Ai Wei Wei, have commented on the evolution of Chinese culture since the great revolution. In Art Mao, Pia Copper has curated a remarkable archive of these images from 97 artists, placing them in their political, social, artistic and cultural context. Art Mao is not just a collection of Mao images, it is a fun and thought-provoking guide to an iconic figure and his complex relationship with the Chinese people and the world.