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

The City of Richmond is abuzz with talk about a recent Vancouver Biennale sculpture installation by China’s amazing Gao Brothers.

It’s called Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head and if you’re thinking that maybe it’s just a little controversial, you’re right!

As Randy Shore of the Vancouver Sun notes in this piece on the installation, “A public art installation depicting Russian Communist leader Vladimir Lenin and a feminized Chairman Mao Zedong in the heart of Richmond’s business district has the whole town talking.”

Feminized Chairman Mao Zedong!?  In the heart of Richmond, BC?!

For more info check out this article in the Richmond Review.

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

On June 12, 2009 the Vancouver Sun opened the city’s eyes to the imminent arrival of the Vancouver Biennale 2009-2011.  In an excellent article by Randy Shore, the Sun highlighted several aspects of the Biennale, its impact on the city from a cultural and tourism level as well as its connection to local arts communities.

Here’s an excerpt: “In a few weeks, Vancouver Biennale will begin to turn the city’s green spaces and parks into an open-air museum of art. The biannual collaboration between the arts community, the Vancouver Park Board and corporate sponsors will erect 30 sculptures alongside the city’s walking and biking trails, public plazas and on beaches. The Biennale festival runs for two years and includes several large-scale public events. Biennale will present another 60 to 80 new media and light installations during that time.”