Chinese Artist Behind Mao Sculptures Jailed for Slandering ‘Heroes and Martyrs’

A Chinese artist known for controversial sculptures of former leader Mao Zedong has been sentenced to three years in prison after being found guilty of “infringing on the reputation of heroes and martyrs”, according to a China-based human rights group.

Gao Zhen, 70, was sentenced on Tuesday, having already spent more than 700 days in jail after being detained in August 2024. The artist moved to the US in 2022, and is now a permanent resident there, but was visiting his studio outside Beijing when he was arrested.

According to a blog post by human rights monitoring network Weiquanwang, Gao’s case was heard in a closed session at the People’s Court in Sanhe City, Hebei province on 30 March, with the verdict announced on 25 August. His sentence is officially due to end on 25 August 2027, taking into account the time he has already spent in detention.

Gao’s wife, Zhao Yaliang, told the Guardian: “His arrest and trial should never have happened. We have had no choice but to wait in anguish … I am very sad that it’s going to be this long.”

The case is particularly controversial because the artworks that provoked Gao’s arrest and trial were created almost a decade before March 2018, when China introduced the law under which the artist was charged, which bans the defamation of China’s heroes and martyrs.

Gao Zhen and his brother Gao Qiang create art under the name the Gao Brothers. In 1968 their father was arrested as a counter-revolutionary during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and he died in custody.

Many of the Gao Brothers’ works satirise the former leader, Mao. The Execution of Christ (2009) depicts a firing squad comprising seven statues of the former leader, pointing rifles at a figure of Jesus, while Mao’s Guilt (2009) features a kneeling Mao, and the Miss Mao series portrays him as a cartoonish woman.

Gao’s health has also been a cause for concern. An Instagram post from the Gao Brothers described him as suffering with chronic lumbar problems, arthritis, and other health conditions before his arrest, and claimed his condition has deteriorated since he was detained.

Gao Qiang told the Guardian: “A body can be confined, but clarity of mind is harder to take away. Mentally he remains remarkably sharp and unbroken.” He added: “Art should never be a crime scene waiting to be discovered.”

An online petition calling for Gao’s freedom has already attracted more than 20,000 signatures.