Interview with artist Gao Qiang of the Gao Brothers
Abstract
The Gao Brothers, Gao Zhen (b. 1956) and Gao Qiang (b. 1962), are two of the most influential contemporary Chinese artists, known for their critical and socially engaged artistic practice. Their work spans sculpture, installation, photography and performance, constantly challenging the boundaries imposed by censorship and exploring themes such as power, memory and identity. Their Miss Mao series, which satirically reinterprets the figure of Mao Zedong, and the installation The Execution of Christ, which recalls political violence, are examples of their provocative approach. In this interview, Gao Qiang reflects on the difficulties of creating art in a repressive environment, the role of censorship in artistic production and the impact of the recent arrest of his brother, Gao Zhen. Beyond censorship as a mechanism of control, the conversation addresses art as an act of communication, a way of interpellating collective memory and generating dialogue in contexts where expression is restricted. This interview does not seek to promote a specific ideological position, but rather to explore how art operates as a space of resistance, testimony and transmission of meanings, challenging borders and expanding its function beyond the merely aesthetic.
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