Second International Biennale Sculpture Installed in Richmond
17 December 2009
The latest temporary Biennale artwork has moved into Richmond’s Lansdowne neighbourhood on the corner space at the intersection of Elmbridge and Alderbridge Way. Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at the Top of Lenin’s Head, a sculpture featuring two iconic figures in shiny polished stainless steel, is now installed. This work, by the renowned Chinese artist team The Gao Brothers, is the second Biennale work that will be temporarily installed in Richmond.
Often referred to as “cynical realism,” this large scale sculpture features two iconic figures: a diminutive “Miss” Mao and monumental Vladimir Lenin, both references to figures who profoundly influenced world history. The Gao Brothers have consciously chosen to play the role of social critic and therefore walk a careful line in terms of politics.
The Gao Brothers are reflective of the 'new wave' of post-revolutionary artists working in China today. Both were born in Jinan, Shandong province, to a family tragically affected by the Cultural Revolution. The brothers now live and work in Beijing, where they have been collaborating since the mid-1980s, when they joined the ‘New Wave’ movement of modern art in China by producing influential photographic and performance-based work.
The Gao Brother’s piece is just one of the sculptures residents and visitors will see throughout Richmond during the Sculpture Biennale which runs through 2011. Other Biennale works in Richmond area include Yvonne Domenge’s Olas de Viento at Garry Point Park and Dennis Oppenheim’s Arriving Home at YVR – International Arrivals. The remainder of Biennale works will continue to be installed through to Spring 2010 with a Biennale opening celebration in Richmond in May 2010.
