Author Description

The catalogue documents the stories of twenty-two artists from the Wuming, Xingxing and Caocao art groups presented in the Light Before Dawn Unofficial Chinese Art 1974-1985 exhibition at the Asia Society Hong Kong Center. Emerging from the Cultural Revolution, these groups of artists sought artistic truth in the authenticity of human desire, explored the personal meaning of creativity, and asserted the value of the individual in the critical period leading up to the Communist Party's decision to allow modern artistic practices in 1985. Written by the curators, Dr. Kuiyi Shen and Dr. Julia F. Andrews, the catalogue also includes short articles by artists from each group.