All Photos By Gail
Vivienne Tam has often explored her Chinese heritage through fashion. Her spring 1995 collection, made with artist Zhang Hongtu, featured satirical images of Mao Zedong, formal chairman of the Communist Party of China.
Continue reading Eye On Design: Mao Zedong Dress By Vivienne Tam
Photo By Gail
Andy Warhol based his Mao paintings, drawings, lithographs, photocopy prints, and wallpaper on the same image: a painting by Zhang Zhenshi that served as the frontispiece for Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung (known in the “West as The Little Red Book”) and was then thought to be the most widely reproduced artwork in the world. Warhol chose the image of Mao — then chairman of the Chinese Communist Party — after reading news coverage of President Richard Nixon’s trip to the People’s Republic of China in February of 1972, an unprecedented act of cold war diplomacy that marked the first act by a sitting American president to the nation, which at the tie was considered an enemy of the state.
Photographed as Part of the Exhibit, Andy Warhol: From A to B and Back Again, at the Whitney Museum of American Art Through March 31st, 2019.
Photos By Gail
Concert Poster artist and collectible figure aficionado Frank Kozik has been churning out limited editions of his Mickey Mao bust, officially entitled The Bird is the Word (because “Papa Ooh Mao Mao,“ I guess?) for a decade, I think. I’ve seen them in all sizes, colors and finishes, but this one measures an imposing 30″ x 20″ x 18″ and comes in a Lime Green Sparkle Automotive finish that can be yours for just $7,500!
Gold Nuggets and Toilet Paper (All Photos By Gail)
Well, the summer is over and the Chelsea Galleries are back in full swing with lots of exciting art to see. One of our long-time favorites, the Claire Oliver Gallery, has a new show up that is not only beautiful to look at but which also deals with a subject that is very topical.
In Cash is King, artist Lisa Alonzo revitalizes a long standing tradition of depicting currency and its role in our visual culture. Alonzo uses her signature satirical voice to pose questions on our current economic climate in a postmodern context.
Artist Liu Bolin Hides In the Face of Charmain Mao. Can You Find Him? (All Photos By Gail)
One of the most highly anticipated stops on our September 11th Art crawl was at the Klein Sun Gallery for the opening reception of A Colorful World?, a solo exhibition of new sculptures, photographs and lightboxes by China’s Invisible Man, Liu Bolin. Continue reading Liu Bolin’s A Colorful World? at Klein Sun Gallery