Chinese artist Gao Zhen jailed over Mao sculptures
Gao Zhen, a Chinese artist known for provocative sculptures of Mao Zedong, has been sentenced to three years in prison in China after being convicted of slandering the country's "heroes and martyrs". The verdict, handed down two years after his detention, has drawn international condemnation because the artworks in question were created more than a decade before the relevant law came into force, raising concerns about retroactive prosecution and the suppression of independent artistic expression.
Gao, 70, a Chinese citizen and US permanent resident, was detained on 26 August 2024 while visiting China with his wife and son, and his studio near Beijing was later raided. His works with brother Gao Qiang include a sculpture of Mao kneeling and another depicting a firing squad of Mao statues aiming at Jesus. His wife, Zhao Yaliang, said the family had endured a painful two-year wait, while Gao suffered health problems including heatstroke and fainting spells in detention. Human rights groups including Amnesty International condemned the sentencing, with campaigners saying it was designed to deter independent artistic expression, and noting that Gao's wife and young son, a US citizen, remain unable to leave China.
In short
- Artist Gao Zhen jailed for three years over decade-old Mao sculptures
- Law used predates the artworks by over ten years
- Wife and son barred from leaving China since his 2024 detention
Explained simply
Mao Zedong led the Chinese Communist Party to power in 1949 and ruled China until his death in 1976. He remains an important figure in the country’s official history, while some artists have made work that questions how he is remembered.
Gao Zhen and his brother Gao Qiang have made sculptures depicting Mao in provocative scenes. China’s law against insulting “heroes and martyrs” protects people celebrated in the state’s account of its history, and the case has raised questions about how that law applies to older artworks.
Gao is a Chinese citizen and US permanent resident; his wife and young son were with him when he was detained in China. The case matters to artists and rights groups because it touches on the limits of artistic expression and the reach of laws over work made before they took effect.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Artist known for sculptures of Mao Zedong jailed for slandering ‘heroes and martyrs’”.