Immigrating to a new country can often times be difficult, frustrating, and confusing. The language is foreign, the customs are strange, and even every-day products are different. Without sacrificing some of your previous cultural values and beliefs, it will be difficult to assimilate into the new society. As sad as this process may be, its hardships provide great artistic inspiration for artists such as Zhang Hongtu.
Recently featured in the New York Times’ art section, Zhang Hongtu is opening a new exhibit in the Queens Museum. His artwork seeks to explore “Chinese traditions and East versus West stereotypes.” Growing up in China, Hongtu was deeply influenced by his Chinese heritage. As he grew older, he became increasingly disillusioned with the country’s government. The communist regime oppressed its people and censored their artistic expression. Art’s power as a political weapon scared the government and so even those without revolutionary ambitions were punished. Ultimately fed up by this limitation, Hongtu fled the country in 1982 and entered America.
In America, Hongtu faced a culture clash as well as many common stereotypes. These hinderances were nothing compared to the censorship in China and so he became very content in this country. With his newfound freedom, Hongtu set out on getting revenge against the leader who had silenced his voice in China: Mao Zedong. According to one biography, this mindset soon became an obsession as Hongtu repeatedly painted pop art of Mao while trying to capture the “ubiquitous and hypocrisy of Mao’s image.”
Perhaps his most famous work, Quaker Oats Mao, truly captures 
Hongtu’s satirical goal. In this work, Hongtu took an empty Quaker Oats container and painted Mao’s face onto it with a red backdrop. The red background as well as the green hat with a star is symbolic of communism. Quaker Oat’s is one of America’s largest companies. By painting a communist symbol on an American product, Hongtu creates a paradox. It is so absurd that at first glance, I couldn’t help but laugh a bit. Putting the political context aside for a moment, the work also represents a culture clash. Instead of the typical old white male, Hongtu’s Quaker Oats box features a Chinese male. This difference prompts the viewer to question what exactly makes an American, and whether or not that characterization is based upon race.
Some of his other works feature Chinese stereotypes as a means of mocking Mao. Yet Hongtu’s statement is not against Chinese culture, but rather the government he feels is destroying it. One of his albums features paintings that are recreations of traditional Chinese works. His efforts in this album reveals a profound pride for his culture as well as an appreciation for the past.
Overall, Hongtu’s story is one of vengeance. Mao censored Hongtu’s art and so Hongtu has spent the last fifty years mocking Mao. Taking this extreme dedication into account, I would hate to get on Hongtu’s bad side.
I applaud Hongtu for his brave “rebellion” against Mao. Unfortunately, I’m sure his art that was created in America wasn’t seen by the Chinese public due to the massive censorship? I find that good art comes strong oppression. Only those who are truly radical will revolt against the oppression, thereby creating one of the best artworks that country has seen. It will manifest the core of the oppression and the people affected by it. This seems to be the case with Hongtu.
Out of curiosity, I decided to google search Zhang Hongtu and I learned that he was not only oppressed by his country in a cultural/artistic manner, but in a religious matter as well. Hangtu comes from a very devout Muslim family, which became increasingly difficult for Hangtu and his family as China is officially an atheistic state. All of this just shows how truly frustrated Hongtu must have been by his country, and consequently how much happier (in terms of freedom) he is here in America. Here, he is free to do as he wishes, and he chose to dedicate his artwork to criticize, and sometimes mock, the Chinese authorities. When you look at his other works of art, this theme is very consistent.
Zhang Hongtu’s art reminds me of a kid drawing on the yearbook pictures of his classmates and teachers. Mustaches, pimples and devil’s horn on people he doesn’t like. Hearts and halo on his crush. This may make Hongtu sound kind of childish drawing mustaches and pigtails on Mao. But I enjoy his form of complaint and dislike of the oppressive country. He packaged it in a way that is funny and easy to look at. Instead of painting grim pictures of how he felt suffocated and oppressed under the Chinese government, he conveyed his feelings in a light and comical way.
I like the fact that he chose such a touchy subject (censorship in China/corrupt leadership) and turned it into something almost comical. This, I think, is what makes a good artist. He refused to let the obstacles of his living situation get in the way of producing art that made a difference in society. His messages are clear and are delivered in a fashion that makes the viewer understand his purpose and central message.
It is really interesting to see how powerful such simple protest can be. The work of Zhang Hongtu is truly stunning and brave. Hongtu’s “vengeance” is clear in his art work which has a childish undertone, truly mocking the regime of China.
I admire Zhang Hongtu’s devotion to his ideals. I wonder what it must feel like to have your ideas censored by the state, I believe that it would leave me fuming. It is a basic human right to express yourself and no one has the right to take that away from you. I think Hongtu’s Quaker Oats can has a very powerful message. The Quaker Oats can is universally known in the US and I believe that Hontu’s goal is to make the wrongdoings of Zedong just as famous.
I find that the political context behind artwork often provides an intricate narrative for a history that I have yet to explore. Fortunately, I have never experienced suppression from government as an American, however, I have experienced my fair share of discrimination as a minority. And to think that someone would be content with racial discrimination, I could only imagine how limited he must have felt before. So his action against his limitation and oppressors provides the foundation of an inspiring story, explaining politics through visual aesthetics and satirical expression, which proves to be a powerful outlet for communication to the public. I agree with you in that Hongtu seems to be a strong willed person, which contributes to the force behind his art.
Mao is often seen as a savior, a great leader, and someone that China worships. Knowing fron experience, many Chinese people see Mao and is reign as a time where they were saved from war and devastation. However to an artists like Hongtu, Mao’s government was not as great as it is depicted. His revenge on Mao’s censorships and government is very unique in the sense that he depicts it through his artwork. It is interesting to see a different side told by someone who had actually been there.
Knowing how suppressed the people of China were, it’s no wonder Zhang Hongtu had such a drive to create and make statements with his art. It takes a strong individual to leave behind one’s home country as he did. I can’t imagine what that must feel like. Hongtu was able to take this emotion and paint it throughout his work and serve as an inspiration to his viewers. Americans especially can get a glimpse into the struggles and frustration that must be experienced under the reign of Mao.
Zhang Hongtu’s resilience and dedication to portraying Mao Zedong’s authoritarian rule is remarkable. As you mentioned in your post, Hongtu used art as a political statement. To me, art that aims to send a political message is the most interesting and thought-provoking. Political art is a form of art that truly engages with the world around us. Hongtu took what he experienced in China and he was able to create art that was both subtle and complex.
The paradox Hongtu shows in his artwork is quite remarkable. It was really ingenious of him to use the Quaker Oat’s can and turn it into a whole new perspective. It was unfortunate that he had to suffer through Mao’s oppression, but he didn’t let that stop him from creating his work, and developing his career as an artist. He is similar in character to Ai Wei Wei, an artist Brandon and I brought up weeks ago.