CHINA: Prominent Artist Arrested For His Work

Gao Zhen, 68 years old, is a prominent artist in contemporary Chinese art and a member of the renowned Gao Brothers duo. Since the 1980s, the Gao Brothers have employed satirical humor to shed light on the atrocities of the Cultural Revolution, consistently challenging the limits of social commentary. Their work offers a sharp critique of the Cultural Revolution and former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, exposing the extent of the authoritarian practices employed during Mao’s regime. These subjects remain deeply sensitive and taboo in contemporary China.

On 26 August 2024, Gao was detained while traveling in China with his wife and son. Around 30 police officers raided his studio in Yanjiao, a town in Sanhe City, Hebei province. The authorities photographed his artworks, confiscated and sealed several sculptures—most of which were created over a decade ago—before sealing the studio.

The following day, Gao’s wife was informed by the Sanhe City Public Security Bureau of his detention. He has since been held at the Sanhe City Detention Center on charges of “slandering China’s heroes and martyrs,” a crime punishable by up to three years in prison. This crime stems from a 2018 Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs, which, in an article marking its adoption, state media claimed aims to “promote patriotism and socialist core values” and was necessary in light of a “string of cases” purported to slander or denigrate heroes in the name of, for example, academic freedom. As with many laws in China, the vague nature of the law, lack of definitions, and latitude provided to security and judicial officials in interpreting its application make it easy to abuse this law to restrict legitimate forms of opinion and expression.   

Gao and his wife are Chinese citizens; since 2011, Gao has been a U.S. permanent resident. Their 6-year-old son is a U.S. citizen and attended school in New York, where the family moved in 2022.