Chinese+Fairytale--Tang+Zhigang

Chinese Fairytale


Title: Chinest Fairytale Artist: Tang Zhigang Date: 2004 Dimensions: 150 X 80cm Medium: Oil on Canvas
 * Artwork Identification**

Tang Zhigang was born in Kumming in 1959 and currently lives in Beijing. and teaches oil painting at the Yunan Institiue of Fine Arts. He spent many years with the Chinese Army. At one time Tang was an student of advanced studies at the Central Academy of Fine Art but in 1989 he graduated from the PLA Institute for fine arts. Tang Zhigang worked for the military as a chlildrens art educator. Tang Zhigang uses children as his main subject matter. In many cases the children are dressed up as military, political, or very important people. His message is mainly that China is being ruled by children. " Because it's good to remember that people are children too." (Tang Zhigang 2004 [|www.christies.co.uk/ LotFinder/lot_details.asp...])
 * Introduction**

Chinese Fairyale is an oil on canvas painting depicting five very young communist party members. One of the party members is being kicked in the head by another while three other children observe with no obvious emotion. All of the children are wearing the grey uniforms that were worn and made popular by Chairman Mao during the Cultural Revolution. Two of the children have their shirts unbuttoned exposing their chest and stomach. The painting has a bright red curtain in the background. The light appears to be floating. There are two toys on the ground, a blue ball and a green toy car.
 * Descriptive Analysis**

There are five children present is this painting. One of which is being kicked in the face by another. Three of the children either sit of stand around the altercation evoking no emotion. The children appear bored by what they see. They are showing no signs of intervening. This could be the artists way of showing his disdain for society. Since the children are wearing traditional Cultural Revolution apparel, it could be the artists view on how the majority of people let horrible acts occur during this time without trying to stop wrong doers. The red curtain in the background symbolizes the red of communism. The seated child seems to be holding a very Mao like pose as he sips from his bottle.
 * Formal and Contextual Analysis**

Tong, Dian. China! New Art & Artists. Schiffer Book Atglen, PA. 2005 -a book about avant garde artists in China.
 * References**

Peng, Lu. Tang Zhigang: Paraphrasing Memory (2007, October 27) [] -An article about Tang Zhigang and his artworks and inspirations.

[] -a short biography of Tang Zhigang and many example of his artworks.

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