I would like to provide an update about the issue of Xiao Lu’s work being misnamed. John MacDonald's recent article was published on the SMH website yesterday (February 17th), wherein Xiao Lu's work was once again misnamed. This instance underscores the seriousness and ongoingness of the issue I have previously raised.

Moreover, MacDonald's article fails to recognise the political nuances embedded in Xiao Lu's work. I disagree with the tone employed by MacDonald, as it creates a misleading impression that the Chinese avant-garde mainly explores boundaries in terms of eroticism and merely sidesteps political matters during periods of turmoil.

MacDonald, along with other "experts" on Chinese contemporary art in Australia, seems to overlook the profound political messages inherent in Chinese avant-garde art. The depoliticization of such artwork is perilous, as it provides the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with an opportunity to propagate a distorted narrative, falsely suggesting the absence of political dissent in contemporary Chinese cultures.

It is crucial to heed the lessons offered by Hannah Arendt, who warned against depoliticizing the populace, as it can create conditions conducive to the rise of totalitarianism. In failing to recognize the political dimensions of Chinese avant-garde art, there is a risk of unwittingly enabling the CCP's manipulation of the narrative surrounding political dissent in contemporary Chinese society.

You can find the article by John MacDonald that I referenced in the previous post at the following link. https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/eclectic-ambassador-s-chinese-collection-pushes-boundaries-20240212-p5f4a7.html