Dell

2005

Oil on canvas

60 x 70 cm

Signed on the reverse Wang Guangyi in English and Chinese, dated 2005

Estimate
800,000 - 1,100,000
188,000 - 259,000
24,500 - 33,600
Sold Price
1,320,000
318,072
41,045

Ravenel Autumn Auction 2009 Taipei

148

WANG Guangyi (Chinese, b. 1957)

Dell


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Catalogue Note:

Juxtaposing images and icons from the Cultural Revolution with major brand names from Western Consumerism, Wang poses deep and ironic questions about the role of symbols in our lives, and the power they have over us. The combination of the ideological power of Communist propaganda images and the seductive attraction of Western branding seems to suggest that people are at the mercy of overpowering images wielded by a higher authority.


Wang also examines important questions concerning the role of an artist. During the Cultural Revolution, an artist's only role was to portray the ideological dictates of the Gang of Four in the billions of propaganda posters produced. However, an artist should take a much more critical approach towards events in society, and indeed the artist needs to critically examine society, power, and the wielding of that power.


Two revolutionary figures take center stage in the picture. A leader, passing on the ideology to a follower who will be entrusted to impose the beliefs on the general population is an almost godlike figure as he's portrayed from a low perspective common to the ubiquitous propaganda posters. The seriousness in the faces of both protagonists, and their clasped hands as the young follower receives his assignment suggests that they are dealing with a life or death matter, which indeed they were. The Chinese characters for Gang of Four clearly displayed on the young man's armband clearly indicating that he is a red guard. The red background is both suggestive of all things communist, but also suggests spilt blood, which is too often a part of enforced ideologies.


The brand name Dell is stamped in the top left hand corner, it's black background and white form almost in violent contrast to the esoteric nature of the propaganda figures. Everything is in sharp contrast, backgrounds, figures/symbols, and messages. But both sets of images share the same role, messengers of their respective ideological systems.


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