Egg in your eye! Lenin got pelted. Photo by Dan Fairchild.

Freedom of expression is a wonderful thing.

Sometimes people exercise their constitutional rights with words by writing and publishing their thoughts in books or newspapers.  Sometimes by writing letters to the editor of the local papers.

Sometimes they’ll do it by throwing eggs or mud in the direction of their dissatisfaction.

Eggs in one eye, mud in the other. Photos by Dan Fairchild.

I went out to Richmond yesterday to get a look at the thing itself in all its massive stainless steel glory.

It’s located in a gravel lot and overlooks the parking lot of an ICBC Claims Office.  And yes, it’s as charming as that sounds.

Behind it is some slick condo towers and a hotel.

Some people were exercising their freedom of expression with eggs and mud, while others laid sets of flowers at the base of the sculpture as a memorial.

Dan Fairchild did another amazing job of capturing the details with his camera.

Lenin takes the criticism head-on. Photo by Dan Fairchild.

Read more…

Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head. Photo by Louise Gadd.

On January 6th, Malcolm Brodie wrote the following letter to the editors of the Richmond Review newspaper regarding public response to a recent sculpture installation.  Full text is faithfully reprinted below.

Editors:

There has been a great deal of public discussion about the recent installation of “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head,” a public art piece located at the intersection of Elmbridge and Alderbridge Way.

This is part of the Vancouver International Sculpture Biennale (VISB) which will ultimately showcase nine sculptures, on an interim basis, throughout our community with more in Vancouver until early 2011. The VISB is a non-profit organization whose goal is to bi-annually mount an outdoor public art exhibition, featuring major sculptures, new media, and performance works by some of the world’s most celebrated and emerging artists.

Richmond City Council has supported public art over many years. Involvement in the VISB is part of the City’s commitment. Other Biennale works currently installed include Yvonne Domenge’s “Olas de Viento (Wind Waves)” at Garry Point Park and Dennis Oppenheim’s “Arriving Home” at YVR International Arrivals. Watch for “Water #10” soon to be situated near the Aberdeen Station on the Middle Arm Waterfront Greenway, amongst others.

There are always a variety of opinions about any work of art, including this sculpture. In fact, public art is meant to provoke discussion—making us stop, think and reflect on the experience. This particular sculpture presents a provocative and unconventional depiction of Mao and Lenin. This piece may remind us that because we have freedom of expression in Canada, we need not fear censorship.

I hope that each piece of public art will cause residents and visitors alike to stop and reflect. Freedom for artistic expression and the right to express an opinion are fundamental rights all Canadians enjoy.

Malcolm D. Brodie

Mayor

Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin's Head. Photo by Dan Fairchild.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 9, 2009

Vancouver, Canada – The Vancouver Biennale responds to the recent public debate regarding the sculpture, “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself Atop Lenin’s Head”.

The Vancouver Biennale would like to take this opportunity to respond to all those who have engaged in the dialogue regarding the Miss Mao sculpture, which was recently installed in Richmond BC as part of the 2009-2011 exhibition. We have closely followed the public debate that is happening in the media and have enjoyed seeing the full spectrum of opinions. The one thing that is common to all is the fact that the sculpture has us talking about two incredibly important figures in world history, their political regimes and the legacies that continue to this day, all within our democratic society that allows for this kind of diversity and freedom in public expression. If we can agree that knowing this history is important, we suggest that the sculpture that sparked this discussion has fulfilled it’s intent. We need only ask ourselves if we would be discussing Lenin and Mao around the office water cooler this week had it not been for this sculpture.

Far from celebrating the political figures, the sculpture, by internationally renown Chinese artists Gao Zhen and Gao Qiang, uses satire in its depiction of a diminutive and feminized Mao acting as a trapeze artist trying to balance herself on top of Lenin’s giant head. Those who suggest that this memorializes the men ought to take another look. In a statement the Gao Brothers provided to the Vancouver Biennale, they explain, “The communist system broke up in Russia in 1991, but in China, Miss Mao, the mutation of the Russian communist system, is still trying to keep balance in the communist nightmare. We hope our artwork could let people remember the history and actuality of Communism and that the piece will let people recall the great human misery and suffering the Communism caused”.

The Gao Brothers, whose father was killed during the Cultural Revolution, often critically portray Mao and Communist figures in their art. As a result, they have long been subject to raids by government authorities on their Beijing studio and continue to hold underground exhibitions because their more critical artistic depictions remain banned in China.

We continue to stand behind our decision to include this sculpture in the Vancouver Biennale. Our overall objective is to create an outdoor museum that includes some of the most exciting rising stars and established international artists that are on the forefront in their medium and artistic expression. Works by the Gao Brothers have been exhibited internationally and are held in private and museum collections throughout the world. Their participation in the Vancouver Biennale provides residents and visitors a rare opportunity to experience one of their grand scale, controversial sculptures first hand and it helps establish Vancouver and neighbouring Richmond as a world-class cultural destination where public art is allowed to go beyond pretty and where images aren’t politically controlled.

For more information, please visit:

ABOUT THE VANCOUVER BIENNALE

The Vancouver Biennale is a non-profit organization that mounts bi-annual public art exhibitions, bringing sculptures, new media and performance works by celebrated and emerging international artists to Vancouver and surrounding area parks, beaches and urban plazas. In doing so, the Biennale creates an open-air museum that merges the natural beauty of our landscape and our love of outdoor recreation with a world-class cultural experience, all contributing to our designation as one of the most livable cities in the world.

Check out this awesome video featuring Intrepid Vespa Riding Erin Ireland as she tries to find out “How Do You Pronounce Biennale“?

Shot a few weeks ago at Yue Minjun’s A-Mazing Laughter installation at Morton Triangle near English Bay, Erin has a lot of fun with people enjoying the sculpture as well as some random local celebrities who happen to be passing by.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

I took a sculpture walk along the seawall yesterday with my friend Stefanie, who’s from Saskatoon by way of Shanghai, China by way of London, UK.

We started at the new Vancouver Convention Centre and walked west from the Pillows of Harbour Green past the Meeting in Cardero Park to the celebration that is Yue Minjun’s A-Mazing Laughter in Morton Triangle at the edge of English Bay.

It was a great walk on a beautiful day.  Here’s some photos of Yue Minjun’s A-Mazing Laughter.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.

Photo by Sean Cranbury.