MCLC: Warhol's Mao works censored in China (2)

[Denton, Kirk]

MCLC LIST
From: Sean Macdonald <smacdon2005 at gmail.com>
Subject: Warhol's Mao works censored in China (2)
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The idea that Andy Warhol would be associated with a compromise for money
is truly insulting!

Seriously, I do not know how much "money" this exhibit will be making. It
is an art exhibit that may or may not recoup the costs of transportation
(perhaps others can weigh in on the profitability of an exhibit such as
this). 

I am no expert on Warhol, but when he was alive he was greatly concerned
with publicity. I find it hard to believe he would have pulled an exhibit
"on principle" because one series of prints had to be suppressed. There
are issues of cultural or social capital that outweigh simple financial
profitability in art. Warhol's Mao prints are easily found online (even if
the walls are empty or the catalogue altered, it would be interesting if
they actually left empty spaces on the walls for these portraits).

As to Warhol, and especially images of Mao, in contemporary China,
Francesca Dal Lago has an interesting take on this: "Personal Mao:
Reshaping an Icon in Contemporary Chinese Art, Art Journal, Vol. 58, No. 2
(Summer, 1999): 46- 59. The article can be downloaded here:

https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/15041/F.%20Dal%20Lag
o%20-%20Personal%20Mao.pdf?sequence=5

Sean