On 26 August, Chinese artist Gao Zhen was forcibly detained by police while visiting family in Beijing, as confirmed by his brother Gao Qiang to Artists at Risk (AR). Known for provocative sculptures criticizing Mao Zedong, Gao Zhen was arrested on suspicion of “infringing on the reputation and honour of heroes and martyrs” and has been held at the Sanhe City Detention Center since his arrest.
Gao Zhen, 68, now faces charges for a law that was introduced in 2021. He could face up to three years in prison for artworks that were made over a decade before the law’s enactment.
The Gao brothers have long used art to reflect on Chinese society, including the brutality of the Chinese Cultural Revolution that also claimed their father’s life. Now, Gao Zhen’s freedom and the freedom of artistic expression in China is under threat.
Freedom of speech and artistic freedom are fundamental human rights that must be protected everywhere. The detention of Gao Zhen is a stark reminder of how these rights are increasingly under attack.
Artists at Risk (AR) stands in solidarity with Gao Zhen and calls for his immediate release.
Pictured: Gao Brothers, Gao Zhen and Gao Qiang “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head”, 2011
