The Winking Owl: Art in the People's Republic of China

The Winking Owl examines the development of art in China from 1949 to 1979, focusing on the intersection of politics and creative expression during the People's Republic era. The book presents key artworks and artists while analyzing how state policies and campaigns influenced artistic production. Through extensive research and documentation, Laing traces the evolution of Chinese art movements and styles across three decades of social transformation. She examines official art, folk art, and propaganda pieces, providing context about the cultural and political forces that shaped them. The book includes reproductions of paintings, woodblock prints, posters, and other visual materials from this period. Laing's analysis incorporates primary sources including government documents, contemporary periodicals, and interviews with artists. This study reveals the complex relationship between artistic freedom and state control in twentieth-century China, while exploring broader questions about art's role in society and politics. The tensions between tradition and revolution, individual expression and collective purpose, emerge as central themes.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Ellen Johnston Laing's overall work: Limited reader reviews are available online for Ellen Johnston Laing's academic works. The books appear primarily in university libraries and scholarly collections rather than consumer review platforms. Readers in academic reviews appreciate: - Detailed analysis of primary sources and archival materials - Focus on previously understudied Chinese women artists - Clear connections between art and broader cultural contexts Points of critique from academic reviewers: - Dense academic writing style that can be difficult for non-specialists - Limited availability and high costs of some volumes - Some dated methodological approaches in earlier works No ratings are currently available on Goodreads or Amazon for her major works. Her books receive occasional citations and reviews in academic journals but rarely appear on consumer book platforms.

Art and China's Revolution by Melissa Chiu and Zheng Shengtian. Chronicles the relationship between art and politics during China's Cultural Revolution through analysis of paintings, sculptures, and propaganda.

Art in Modern China by Michael Sullivan. Traces Chinese art from the 1850s through contemporary times, examining the impact of Western influence and social change on artistic development.

Chinese Art and Culture by Robert L. Thorp and Richard Ellis Vinograd. Presents the evolution of Chinese art forms from prehistoric periods through the late twentieth century with focus on historical context.

Art in China by Craig Clunas. Examines Chinese art from the perspective of social history, exploring how art objects functioned within their original contexts.

Contemporary Chinese Art: Primary Documents by Wu Hung. Compiles essential primary sources and documents that reveal the development of Chinese art from the 1970s through the 2000s.

🦉 During China's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which this book examines, only eight "model works" of art and theater were officially permitted for public consumption. 🎨 Author Ellen Johnston Laing was one of the first Western scholars to gain access to Chinese art institutions in the early 1970s, when the country was still largely closed to outsiders. 🖼️ The book's title refers to a controversial 1973 painting called "The Winking Owl," which sparked intense debate about artistic freedom versus political conformity in Maoist China. 📚 The text reveals how Chinese artists during this period developed subtle visual codes to express dissent while appearing to follow official artistic guidelines. 🗓️ Published in 1988, this was one of the earliest comprehensive English-language studies of Chinese art during the Cultural Revolution period, and remains a foundational text in the field.