On March 30th, Chinese artist Gao Sheng stood trial at a court in Sanhe City, Hebei Province, accused of “defaming the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs.” The trial was held behind closed doors, with Gao Sheng’s family members prohibited from attending, and the verdict has not yet been announced. The 69-year-old Gao Sheng’s health condition is a cause for concern.
Gao Sheng, a contemporary Chinese artist who has been detained for a year and a half, stood trial at a court in Sanhe City, Hebei Province on March 30th. On August 26, 2024, Gao Sheng was detained by the authorities when he returned to China with his wife and children for a visit. Gao Sheng was charged with “defaming the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs,” formally arrested, and could face up to 3 years in prison. At the same time, Gao Sheng’s wife Zhao Yali and his son (who was only six years old at the time) were prohibited from leaving China. The Chinese authorities also told Gao Sheng’s wife not to discuss her husband’s detention with the media.
On the day of Gao Sheng’s trial in Hebei, his brother Gao Qiang reposted a post from the official social media account of the European Union’s delegation in China on their Facebook page named “Gao Brothers.”
The post stated: “Today, EU diplomats attempted to attend the court hearing of Chinese artist Gao Sheng at the court in Sanhe City, Hebei Province. Although they were initially allowed to enter the courthouse, they were not allowed into the courtroom. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and support respect for due legal process and fair trial guarantees.”
Gao Sheng’s son is a US citizen, unable to return to New York for school due to restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities. Both Gao Sheng and his wife are Chinese citizens and permanent residents of the United States.
Gao Sheng and his brother Gao Qiang have collaboratively created a number of controversial Mao Zedong sculpture works. After Gao Sheng was arrested in China in 2024, the Chinese authorities seized 118 works from his studio.
In November 2024, Gao Qiang posted on Facebook: “In broad daylight, including sculptures such as the stainless steel sculpture ‘Resurrection’ and the cast bronze sculpture ‘Execution of Christ,’ a total of 118 works of sculptures, paintings, and photographs were looted by the Sanhe City Public Security Bureau. It is said that they hired a moving company and loaded six or seven trucks. They didn’t seem to know that transporting artwork requires a specialized transport company. The rumors also suggested that they didn’t intend to collect the works but to destroy them.”
The Chinese authorities have accused the Gao Brothers of creating works that violate the “defamation of the reputation and honor of heroes and martyrs,” such as the “Miss Mao series” (depicting Mao Zedong with female physiological features), “Execution of Christ” (a group of executioners resembling Mao Zedong aiming at Jesus Christ), and “Kneeling Repentance Mao” (a sculpture of Mao Zedong on his knees with his right hand placed on his chest, expressing a repentant expression).
Gao Qiang and other supporters of Gao Sheng have repeatedly stated: Art is not a crime – no one should be punished solely for their creative works or expressing personal viewpoints!