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Wang Guangyi
Alpha and Omega - Contemporary, 21st Century, Lithograph, Chinese, Edition

2007-2008

About the Item

Wang Guangyi, Alpha and Omega Lithograph on Velin BFK Rives 300 gr Accompanied by poem by Fernando Arrabal Edition of 165 plus 4 APs 80 x 120 cm (31.5 x 47.2 in.) Signed and numbered, accompanied by Certificate of Authenticity In mint condition, as acquired from the publisher PLEASE NOTE: Edition numbers could vary from the one shown in the pictures. The pictures shown are only for illustrative reasons, the piece is offered unframed. "Alfa and Omega" belongs to the set of twenty lithographs from "Wang Gaungyi´s Rhytmical Dichotomy ", which comes as a limited edition of 165 rare books. By combining depictions of workers with logos of famous commercial brands, such as Coca-Cola and Rolex (“corrections” of the political slogans he had painted as a youth), in this collection of lithographs Wang Guangyi synthesized the schematic propaganda of two seemingly opposed systems. "IN FACT, IN CHINA WE THINK OF THOSE SQUARES LIKE “JIUGONGGE” [GRID BOX]. THE “JIUGONGGE” IS A GRAPHIC DEVICE, IT CAN ENLARGE TINY THINGS. ALSO, IT CAN REDUCE A GIGANTIC THING. THE IDOLATRY OF MAO ZEDONG, THE GOD WORSHIP OF MAO ZEDONG, CAN BE ENLARGED BY THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE PEOPLE TOWARDS GOD. I TAKE THE GOD WORSHIP ENLARGED BY THE PEOPLE, AND IN DRAWING THE SQUARES, I REDUCE IT INTO A PERSON." -WANG GUANGYI As the art market became less and less regulated by the government, artists moved on to develop their own form of expression, rather than the government’s. This change made it possible for Wang to produce works which questioned the customary portrayal of Chairman Mao. He took images of the former leader and overlaid them with a grid of thick, black lines, substituting the normally warm reds for cold, bluish greys. He literally put up a barrier between Mao and the people, forcing viewers to take a new look at the image that had been regarded by so many as god-like. WANG GUANGYI Wang Guangyi (b. 1956) is best known for his work that explores the Chinese Cultural Revolution through the lenses of propaganda. The Chinese artist knows how to marry a juxtaposing couple, politics with commercial ingenuity, which makes him an eminent figure of the "Political Pop" movement. Guangyi´s main work is “Great Criticism”, a series of paintings that explore commercial society and comment on the invasion operated by imported Western commodities on the traditional Chinese culture. His oeuvre blends together the aesthetics of revolutionary images and consumer logos and becomes an unmistakable commentary on the narratives of political, economic, and social policies as well as an ideological criticism of globalization. While it is true that Western influence is a reality in contemporary Chinese art, it is equally true that Guangyi´s style keeps an instinctive distance from Western art, whose motives are incorporated while "Chinese". “Becoming an artist was the only thing I wanted to do; it was my only hope—so I persevered.”—Wang Guangyi As an artist, he also felt himself to be entrusted with a mission: to bring his country on the international art scene - an ambition that soon made his name part of the history of contemporary Chinese art.
  • Creator:
    Wang Guangyi (1957, Chinese)
  • Creation Year:
    2007-2008
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 31.5 in (80 cm)Width: 47.25 in (120 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Zug, CH
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1562213160822
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