Sterling Larsen and Dr. Steven Riep, Asian and Near Eastern Languages
Summary
Though some argue the shadow of Mao may be fading in the light of capitalistic reforms, media and the arts in contemporary China are often mobilized to achieve political goals. Today it can be argued that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is pursuing an agenda of thought work and propaganda more aggressively, more comprehensively and on a larger scale than any other world power, but instead of employing the heavyhanded policies of the past, the CCP has succeeded in encouraging selfcensorship on a large scale by controlling the means of artistic production.
Under such a seemingly repressive political environment where a corollary trend of repression in the arts would be expected, however, the flourishing of contemporary Chinese art, often politically charged and http://kevinfinlayson.com/images/assets/00 00/0089/oly4.jpg critical of the CCP, seems inconsistent. In addressing the larger question of artistic intent, I explored the degree to which the artist Cai Guoqiang has participated in thought work in China and the Chinese Communist Party’s nationalistic agenda, and the degree to which the Chinese government appropriates the traditional Chinese cultural elements present in Cai’s work for its own purposes.
Since explosives are one of Cai’s main artistic media, he was commissioned in 2006 to design the pyrotechnic displays for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. On initial inspection, agreeing to participate in the ceremonies seemed a politically benign choice. Receiving the commission in 2006, however, coincided with his production of work of art, which overtly supported China’s “One China” policy. This policy, which promises PRC invasion of Taiwan should it declare independence, is a highly controversial and volatile issue in Chinese politics. Cai’s commentary on any political issue, much less such a heated and timely issue seems uncharacteristic, raises questions about Cai’s political leanings, and helps explain his selection for the 2008 Olympics opening ceremonies bid.
Approach
Combining disciplines from my two majors, Chinese and Visual Art, I took an art historical approach to understanding the political impact of Cai Guoqiang’s work. Like any language, art communicates. I interpreted the messages Cai was overtly and implicitly communicating through visual clues in his art, but more importantly, I investigated the context of his work and how his work was used to achieve political goals and communicate ideas the artist may not necessarily intend. Selecting a single artist as a case study allowed for a greater degree of detail and still captured a representative view of art’s interaction with CCP politics in the PRC today.
Conference Presentation
My research culminated in a paper presentation at the 2009 Western Conference of the Association for Asian Studies (WCAAS) Conference in Tucson, Arizona. Arranged by Dr. Steven Riep, a panel of three BYU students presented to a full audience and feedback from attendants indicated that our panel was among the most well-delivered, interesting and engaging presented at the conference.