Asia Society and Museum

I have always wanted to learn more about Chinese history, especially the period of strong Communist rule. Because many new concepts were forbidden during this time period, the rebellions that often occurred just fascinates me. I am such a strong advocate of studying in depth Chinese culture because it is important not to neglect the culture that my grandparents and parents lived through before they immigrated here. Having this idea in mind, I visited the Asia Society and Museum to see the exhibition: “Art and China’s Revolution.” It is a great cultural change since China is becoming more modernized and opened to displaying the works from Chinese artists during the 1950’s in the United States for the first time. Some artists went against the normal styles of their time of what was acceptable; rebellion in this case is good because it called for change. They were brave enough to express their artistic feelings despite their fear of being imprisoned. Walking through the exhibition I felt so amazed at the different talented works displayed, and I kept on thinking of how inhumane Mao’s party was to quell the beginnings of a cultural revolution that would forever transform contemporary Chinese art with its modest beginnings. It also astounds me to know these paintings and scrolls survived the violence during this timer period and were not destroyed earlier on.