Chairman+Mao+goes+to+Anyuan

Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan- A Socialist Realism Color Lithograph on Paper by Chunhua Liu
 * A. Title**

http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O164061/chairman-mao-goes-to-anyuan-poster-liu-chunhua/
 * B. Artwork**

//Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan// by Chunhua Liu China- Chinese Socialist Realism from 1968 Size: 106 x 76 cm. Museum accession Number: FE.7-2008 Manner of display: In storage Donated by Lady Heseltine This poster is a lithographic reproduction of a painting in the style of Socialist Realism, which was created during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) by Chunhua Liu, a Red Guard. The painting shows a young Mao Zedong, wearing a long gown, walking among mountains on a path, above the peaks' mist. The lithograph's title is printed at the bottom.
 * C. Identification**
 * D. Introduction**

Chunhua Liu was an artist born Tailai, Heilongjiang Province in 1944. Chunhua Liu studied art at the Lu Xun Art Academy from 1958-1963 and at the Applied Arts Department of the Central Industrial Arts Academy in 1963. He was a member of the Red Guard during the Cultural Revolution.
 * E. Descriptive Analysis**

This color lithograph, which is a poster on paper done with color, is 106 x 76 cm. The background landscape is of a mountainous region seemingly shorter than the man in the foreground. The range behind him has snow-capped peaks and rocky crests, while greenery blankets much of the ravine. A river meanders around this valley releasing a mist that blankets the lower areas, obscuring much of the dale. The sky is mostly overcast, however, portions of blue sky emerges. The haze lightens these blue tones to increasingly diluted shades. A small waterfall, to the lower right side of the piece, presumably deposits water into the river, although their convergence is unseen. The foreground shows a fresh dirt path that is relatively undisturbed. To either side of the path, soft grass blades shudder in a breeze that comes from the left. Wildflowers lightly intersperse the green of the grass. On the left of the path is some rather low shrubbery. One plant has developed slightly larger than the others, it is unkempt and wild, and may be a bush or a small tree. On the path, a youthful Mao Zedong treads with stern determination toward his destination. His eyes seemingly peer into the future, his eyes fixed marginally to the left, perhaps, visually confronting the source of the wind. Mao wears a traditional Chinese scholar’s garb. His clothing is a long, green shirt (also known as a chángshān or chángpáo) that reaches to his ankles. A bit of white is visible at his throat, almost reminiscent of a priest’s collar. The only skin visible on Mao is his hands, parts of his neck, and his head. Under his right arm, Mao carries a set of long scrolls that are rosy in color. The area in front of him appears to be less lit than the areas behind him. The light, like the breeze, arrives from the left of the piece.

Knowledge of Socialist Realism and the Cultural Revolution is helpful in analyzing this work. Socialist Realism was an art movement that developed in the Soviet Union during the 1920s and 1930s. The movement was created by combining Marxist and Stalinism's ideals into a so-called truthful reality. The idea was to show Russian Communism in an honest light. Considered a “revolutionary development,” Socialist Realism was meant to display the triumph of the people over their oppressors, or, in other words, of good over evil. These ground-breaking ideas were not just meant for the country in which the piece originated. Instead, the ideas conveyed in artworks were meant to permeate other cultures and to spread their philosophies. Eventually, these idealistic concepts devolved into an idealistic medium meant to express the greatness of their communistic roots. Essentially, the “reality” of the art ceased to be and became another form of propaganda for the state to utilize.[i]
 * F‍‍. Formal and Contextual Analysis‍‍**

The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) was a response to the Great Leap Forward. The Great Leap of the 1950s was meant to industrialize China and fulfill the communistic ideal. This program was a failure that created one of the worst famines in Chinese history. The Great Leap also led to a politically weakened Mao Zedong. In response, the Cultural Revolution attempted to reassert Mao's political power by reducing Mao’s “enemies” stature, and to change many of the old ways. The militant arm of the Cultural Revolution was the Red Guard. It was their duty to get rid of the “four olds,” they were: old ideas, old culture, old customs, and old habits. Mao empowered the Red Guard to do what was necessary to accomplish these deeds. The outcome of the Cultural Revolution was bloody.[ii]

The work //Chairman Mao goes to Anyuan// was created in 1968 by Chunhua Liu, a Red Guard. Chunhua Liu used the ideals of the Cultural Revolution and Socialist Realism to create his masterpiece. He added an event from the past that was essential to the development of the communist party, the Anyuan Miners Strike of 1921. This strike was essentially the beginning of the communist party in China. Mao Zedong was not actually there. Using these events to heighten Mao reputation is comparable to placing George Washington at the Battle of Lexington and Concord or at the Boston Tea Party. These examples are historical revisionisms. Yet, this was not the first time or the last time an artist would modify history through art.[iii]

Additionally, examining religious imagery also aids understanding this artwork. Mao Zedong is painted to be a modern savior, delivering the new word and the light of communism with every step of his journey toward Anyuan. Further, since Anyuan is not depicted, Mao, with his halo of clouds and light, is bringing the power and the knowledge of communism on a pilgrimage through China, to defeat the darkness of the old ways. Mao is triumphing with the power of communism and good over evil and he is bringing the light to all the people of China. The religious imagery is quite apparent. Mao is depicted as the new way, the new guardian, and the new prophet, by this portrayal, his iconographic image is translated into a modern savior figure.[iv]

This author has a preference to read into pieces of religious imagery with old Christian symbolism. The muted green of Mao Zedong's outfit matches the color of the vegetation on the mountains in the background. Green is symbolic of growth, life, and hope; these potent images are how the artist desired Mao to be seen by his people. The halo or nimbus of clouds is originally symbolism for dignity, but has come to be known for holiness. Light emanating from deities is common among all religions. In this piece, Mao illumination is both about his head and behind him. He ushers the brightness to the foreground, an action usually reserved for a deity or prophet. Plus the path begins at Mao feet, as though he trekked on the tops of the mountains, walked upon the mist, or came from nowhere, to present the new word of communism. Any of these details supports that the artist wants the audience to view Mao Zedong as a deity or prophet. The artist's message is that this being should be listened to--his word will save everyone. Chunhua Liu used this imagery to convey Mao defeat of evil and, further, to persuade others outside China that he carries knowledge, and that potency should be heeded.[v]
 * G. Personal Interpretation**

Eidelman, Tamara. "Socialist Realism Proclaimed." //Russian Life// 52, no. 4 (2009): 21-23. http://ezproxy.emich.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/223975131?accountid=10650.//
 * H. References**

//Jenner, Katherine Lee (Rawlings).// Christian Symbolism//__.__ Chicago: A.C. McClurg & co., 1910.//

//Perry, Elizabeth J. "Reclaiming the Chinese Revolution."// The Journal of Asian Studies //67, no. 4 (2008): 1147. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0021911808001733. http://ezproxy.emich.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/230391745?accountid=10650.

Schoppa, R. Keith. //Revolution and Its Past: Identities and Change in Modern Chinese History.// 3rd ed. Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011.

[i] Tamara Eidelman, “Socialist Realism Proclaimed,” //Russian Life// 52 (2009): 21-23.

[ii] R. Keith Schoppa, //Revolution and Its Past: Identities and Change in Modern Chinese History//, 3rd ed. (Boston: Prentice Hall, 2011), 347-355.

[iii] Elizabeth Perry, "Reclaiming the Chinese Revolution," //The Journal of Asian Studies// 67 (2008): 4-9.

[iv] Perry, "Reclaiming the Chinese Revolution," 14.

[v] This type of symbolism parallels that used in the missionary symbolism of Christianity. For a discussion of Christian symbolism see, Katherine Lee (Rawlings) Jenner, //Christian Symbolism// (Chicago: A.C. McClurg & co., 1910), 89, 91, 165-166.

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