Three years in prison for satirical Mao sculpture: China criminalizes questioning regime 'heroes'

Chinese artist Gao Zhen has been sentenced to three years in prison for creating satirical artwork that allegedly damaged the reputation of Mao Zedong. The sentence was announced by a popular court in Beijing, according to a Facebook post by his brother, Gao Qiang.

Gao Zhen, a 70-year-old permanent resident of the United States, has been detained in China since his formal arrest on August 26, 2024, during a family visit. He is expected to be released on August 25, 2027. His work, created about fifteen years ago, is considered his "crime."

Gao Zhen and his brother, Gao Qiang, 64, gained recognition in the early 2000s for their satirical sculptures. These works often targeted the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) and Mao Zedong himself. The theme held personal significance for the brothers, as their father, a factory worker, was persecuted by the Red Guards and later found dead in prison. The family has consistently disputed the official narrative that he committed suicide.

The brothers are considered part of China's avant-garde art movement, which emerged in the mid-1980s following a period of political and cultural openness after Mao's death. While less famous internationally than Ai Weiwei, who has lived in exile in Europe since 2015, the Gao brothers represent a segment of the Chinese art scene that challenges official narratives.

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The charge against him: damaging the reputation of Mao Zedong. His "crime": creating art. The "evidence": works created fifteen years ago. The "crime scenes": his studio, museums, and galleries.