Huang Gang

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About the artwork

Chinese artist Huang Gang depicts a female soldier holding a gun, who is standing in fifth position and appears to be performing in a ballet. During the Cultural Revolution, ballets with political themes were pre-approved by the government and performed for entertainment purposes, and the sculpture is a nod to this. While the woman is performing a ballet, traditionally associated with gentility and grace, her outfit and the gun she holds are striking reminders of the time period, as well as the massive political and social upheaval across China. The central tenet of Huang Gang's art deals with the use of symbols to express culture, social norms, and history, and his nuanced works have captivated viewers around the world.

About the artist

Born in Beijing in 1961, Huang Gang studied at the China Central Academy of Art and Design, graduating with a B.A. in Fine Art, followed by an M.A. in Environmental Art in 1991. Huang Gang was surrounded by traditional Chinese art and calligraphy since he was a child and, in the 1980s, developed an interest in traditional Tibetan culture which inspired him to incorporate Tibetan methods and motifs in his work. Huang Gang’s preoccupation with traditional Chinese and Tibetan culture comes as a response to the rapid socio-economic transformation in China throughout the 1990s. Recognized internationally, Huang Gang won the Ikuo Hirayama award in 1991 and the Silver Award at the 1st Beijing International Environmental Art Exhibition in 1995.