Mao: Art for the Masses
National Museums of Scotland, Edinburgh
1 May 2003 to March 2004
Bust of a Chinese Peasant Girl, 1960. Sculpture, porcelain. Collection of National Museum of Scotland, V.2009.231.
Mao’s little red book, mid-20th century. Collection of National Museum of Scotland, V.2009.210.
Large porcelain vase with an image of Chairman Mao, 1968. Height 65.5 cm. Collection of National Museum of Scotland, V.2009.230.
The exhibition title of Mao: Art for the Masses may be a bit misleading in terms of what it actually offers, as it is essentially a blend of two unique themes. The first part spotlights the true visual culture of the masses, characterised by numerous Mao badges and propaganda posters as well as less common items, such as a porcelain lampstand, moulded to depict a scene from the ballet ‘The Red Detachment of Women’. The second part presents one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces that combine top-notch traditional craftsmanship with themes that are ostensibly revolutionary.
Learn more:
Adams, Victoria. “From Shangri-La to Edinburgh: Unpacking the Spirit of Mao.” The Feast Bowl: The WordPress Blog for the National Museum of Scotland, 18 September 2014.
Hardie, Alison. “Art for the Masses: Revolutionary Art of the Mao Zedong Era 1950-1976.” Newsletter of the International Institute of Asian Studies (March 2003), https://www.iias.asia/sites/default/files/2020-11/IIAS_NL33_39.pdf.
National Museum of Scotland. Art for the Masses: Revolutionary Art of the Mao Zedong Era 1950-1976 (Edinburgh: The Museums, 2003).