Zhu Yu (artist) - Background

Background

Zhu Yu is often termed the most controversial and criticized artist in China. Zhu graduated from the Affiliated High School of the Central Academy of Fine Arts in 1991.His contemporary performance art raises questions about moral agendas, and draws an audience through its shock value. His artwork often encompasses the human body. He is categorized by some critics as an artist of the “cadaver school,” which consists of artists who tend to use human body parts in their work. Yu's most famous piece of conceptual art, titled "Eating People," was performed at a Shanghai arts festival in 2000. It consisted of a series of photographs of him cooking and eating what is alleged to be a human fetus. The picture, circulated on the internet via e-mail in 2001, provoked investigations by both the FBI and Scotland Yard. The piece's cannibalistic theme caused a stir in Britain when Yu's work was featured on a Channel 4 documentary exploring Chinese modern art in 2003. In response to the public reaction, Mr. Yu stated, "No religion forbids cannibalism. Nor can I find any law which prevents us from eating people. I took advantage of the space between morality and the law and based my work on it". Yu has claimed that he used an actual fetus which was stolen from a medical school.

Images from the piece have also been used in anti-Japanese propaganda, disseminated by e-mail with a short text attached explaining the images show Japan's "hottest food" and that dead fetuses can be bought for 10-12,000 Yen (approximately US$100 - US$120). Recipients are encouraged to forward the mail, and the explanatory text is written in both English and Korean script.