The Gao Brothers
EXHIBITION DATES: SEPTEMBER 13TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 3RD, 2007
Mao said that the communist party was the mother of all the people and Pinnocchio was a persistent liar. Gao Qiang, June 2006
LIMN Gallery is pleased to present the work of the Gao Brothers. For nearly twenty years, Gao Qiang and Gao Zhen have been exploring the profound changes faced by China. Through photography, they literally direct our gaze to the impact of urbanization and globalization and their cultural and spiritual impact on contemporary Chinese society. They are also enorrmously influenced by the history of the Cultural Revolution; their father was shot during its height after being accused of “bourgeois and intellectual tendencies.” The Gao Brothers’ work is divided into four categories: performance art, staged photography, documentary and most recently computer art. Provocative, poignant, poetic and often political, their photographs have on and off been subjected to censorship for over 15 years. “Hugging project”, by far their most famous, is an international performance in which they encourage strangers to hug each other, something fairly uncommon in China. But defacing Mao’s portrait is the recurring symbol of their work for which they have gained international acclaim. Most recently, the Gao Brothers have produced ?MISS MAO, a fiberglass sculpture representing a stylized Mao bust with a Pinocchio nose. Despite still strong censorship, the Gao Brothers continue to engage their audience in examining modes and myths.The Gao Brothers are currently representing China at Photography Festival in Arles, France. This is their first solo show in San Francisco.
Mao said that the communist party was the mother of all the people and Pinnocchio was a persistent liar. Gao Qiang, June 2006
LIMN Gallery is pleased to present the work of the Gao Brothers. For nearly twenty years, Gao Qiang and Gao Zhen have been exploring the profound changes faced by China. Through photography, they literally direct our gaze to the impact of urbanization and globalization and their cultural and spiritual impact on contemporary Chinese society. They are also enorrmously influenced by the history of the Cultural Revolution; their father was shot during its height after being accused of “bourgeois and intellectual tendencies.” The Gao Brothers’ work is divided into four categories: performance art, staged photography, documentary and most recently computer art. Provocative, poignant, poetic and often political, their photographs have on and off been subjected to censorship for over 15 years. “Hugging project”, by far their most famous, is an international performance in which they encourage strangers to hug each other, something fairly uncommon in China. But defacing Mao’s portrait is the recurring symbol of their work for which they have gained international acclaim. Most recently, the Gao Brothers have produced ?MISS MAO, a fiberglass sculpture representing a stylized Mao bust with a Pinocchio nose. Despite still strong censorship, the Gao Brothers continue to engage their audience in examining modes and myths.The Gao Brothers are currently representing China at Photography Festival in Arles, France. This is their first solo show in San Francisco.
