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About the artwork
Ren Si Hong's artworks are a social commentary on the Cultural Revolution in China - a time period rife with political fervor, which had a widespread effect on artistic creation. ‘Shadow of Emptiness’ depicts Tiananmen Square shrouded in the silhouette of the great leader, showcasing the lingering effect of the Cultural Revolution on the history of China. The intense red of Tiananmen Square references the symbolism of the colour in Chinese society, yet can be seen as an allusion to the events at Tiananmen 1989 and their impacts. It questions the necessity of Mao’s policies during the period and invites the viewer to confer their own interpretation and reflection on the spirit of the time.
About the artist
Ren Sihong (born in 1967) graduated from the Fine Art Department of Hebei Normal College in 1991. From 1991 to 1993, he studied in the Teaching Assistant Program for the Oil Painting Class in Central Academy of Fine Arts. In 1993, his solo exhibition was held in the Central Academy's gallery. He now works as a professional painter. Ren's work can be classified as Political Pop, in which the great leader is presented in such a lighthearted and humorous way that the distance between the untouchable, glorified giant and our realistic experience vanishes. In the sculpture ensemble, Mao leads the children of the consumer society in carrying out the broadcast exercise. He turns the uniformity of the exercise movement into free and idle self-entertaining behavior which brings a post-ideological linguistic feature to politics and sports.