Chinese contemporary art pioneer Gu Wenda is no stranger to controversy or clampdowns. His first solo exhibition in 1986 was closed by the authorities in Xian before it even opened for public viewing, so fellow artist Ai Weiwei's detention this month brought back dark memories.
But that hasn't deterred New York-based Gu from becoming increasingly involved in the country he left more than 20 years ago. Since 2000, he has stepped up activity on the mainland, where he maintains several studios, and is now in talks to design a museum in Guangzhou.
'Artists like to challenge and the government wants to secure its political system; it's a constant struggle,' the Shanghai native says of Ai's arrest.
But Gu reckons the struggle will benefit mainland society and its art scene in the long run. 'Every time we push the envelope, we can go further. It stimulates discussion,' Gu says. 'Artists will become more sophisticated and more sensitive to the political situation and diverse social needs, instead of just being simple-minded and naive.'
He was recently in town for a ceremony that appointed him guest artist of the University of Hong Kong, and will return later in the year to conduct seminars and guide students on art projects. (Hong Kong Sinfonietta music director Yip Wing-sie and veteran filmmakers Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting and Alex Law Kai-yui were also named guest artists for this year.)
Gu shook up the staid world of traditional Chinese ink painting more than 30 years ago by presenting works of made-up ideograms. Inspired by 'big-character' propaganda posters of the Cultural Revolution and ancient seal scripts, his paintings resembled conventional calligraphy but were comprised entirely of nonsensical, pseudo-characters. The series immediately aroused officials' suspicions.