Controversy/Conflict
In June 1989, Shang Yang lost his position as head of Wuhan's Academy of Fine Arts after he marched with some of his students in Tiananmen Square. 3 months before the march, Yang exhibited a series of paintings at Beijing's National Gallery called "State". These works appeared to express Yang's dissatisfaction with the current state of China and his own frazzled state of mind.
Shang Yang regained respect in 1992 with the release of his piece "Morning Tea" which is said to examine concerns for lost values in Chinese culture. One of his latest works, titled "Bride", reveals Yang's worries of commercialism in China. The piece is a Mono Lisa covered in labels of fast food to represent the connections between culture and the market.
Read more about this topic: Shang Yang (artist)
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