Chinese artist sentenced to 3 years in prison over satirical Mao statues

Chinese artist Gao Zhen has been sentenced to three years in prison for creating satirical works of art that infringed upon the reputation of heroes, particularly those of former leader Mao Zedong. Gao, part of the internationally known Gao Brothers artistic duo, was arrested in August 2024 while visiting family in China and has been in custody ever since.

The U.S.-based artist was convicted by the Sanhei People’s Court in Hebei province for works such as Mao’s Guilt, a statue of Mao kneeling in repentance, and the Miss Mao series, caricatures of Mao with exaggerated physical features. Gao's wife, Zhao Yaliang, expressed her disappointment and hopes to be reunited with her husband and return to the U.S. Human rights groups have criticized the sentence, calling it a violation of freedom of expression and a deterrent against independent artistic expression.