Mao: Art For The Masses
A unique exhibition of Chinese artwork goes on display at the NEC antiques fair this spring.
A fascinating collection of Chinese communist works of art will be a major attraction at the Antiques for Everyone fair at the NEC, Birmingham from 27th to 30th March 2008.
Titled 'Mao: Art for the Masses', the display features a unique and important collection of Chinese works of art produced between 1949 and 1976. Belonging to antiques dealers and Chinese specialists Peter and Susan Wain, the exhibition brings together exquisite porcelain groups and figurines, ivory carvings, lacquer plaques, the famous Little Red Book, collectable badges and political posters.
The display presents an extraordinary cultural record of a fascinating period of 20th century history. With the complete disappearance of Maoist slogans, architectural monuments, sculptures, dresses, films, plays and mass parades from everyday life in China since the early 1980s, these artefacts are now a unique visual reminder of that historically significant period.
The exhibits have been carefully selected to offer insights into the changes of patronage, technique and style in the decorative arts. Some reveal the stories of the personal lives of the artists and their living conditions while others show the relationship between Maoist art and the doctrine of art for the masses.
Most of the pieces were originally made for official distribution, international exhibitions and for selling overseas. They were primarily intended to project a desired image of New China to the rest of the world, the image of China as a re-born Utopia. However, many of the pieces rely on the historic traditions of Chinese culture, adapted to the new Maoist ethos of the period.
'Mao: Art for the Masses' will be on view for the four days of the fair. Exhibits in the collection are on display only and not for sale.
With more than 400 exhibitors from across the UK, Europe and America, Antiques for Everyone is the UK's largest indoor, vetted antiques fair and a major international event for collectors and dealers.
A Closer Look At The Exhibits
The first photo shows a large hand embroidered wall hanging, measuring around 9 by 7 feet, dating from 1968-1970. Peter Win purchased it in China in 2001.
This large Red Guards exhibition wall hanging is hand embroidered using loop stitched coloured cotton. There must have been many hundreds of man-hours spent in its creation with possibly up to four embroiderers working on the project at the same time.
The translation on the left top reads: "Long live, long live Chairman Mao." On the top right it reads: "To sail the sea requires a captain. To start a revolution requires Mao Zedong's ideology. Quote by Lin Biao. Dated 1968 November 29th." The bottom lines read: "Follow behind the great leader Chairman Mao. Moving forward bravely. Made by Red Army Interlectual Revolunary Group. Hezei. Shandong Province."
The figure is called 'All children love Mao'. Mao holds the hand of a young girl pioneer and puts his hand on the shoulder of a young boy presenting him with flowers. It dates from 1972-74, and is 7 inches high.
Peter Wain is shown holding a porcelain plaque, 10 by 7 inches in size, dating from 1962. The plaque is titled 'Homework', and the script says that it was produced in the Jiangxi Art Porcelain Factory and was painted by Senior Master Hua Min.
The beautifully painted plaque shows a young pioneer, with three merit stripes, doing his homework. This intense political study was part of the Socialist Education Campaign, introduced in 1962 to try to restore the damaged morale following the disastrous three years of the Great Leap Forward.
Visitor Information
The fair is at Halls 17-19, National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, B40 1NT.
Opening times between 27th and 30th March are Thursday 11am until 7pm, Friday to Saturday 11am until 6pm and Sunday 11am until 5pm.
Admission costs £10, including free car parking.
For further details you can telephone 0121 767 2947 or visit: www.antiquesforeveryone.co.uk
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