Xu Bing Art for the People (installation view at MoMA, New York), 1999 Ink on fabric 920 x 230 cm Written in Square Word Calligraphy by Xu Bing and printed on fabric, the characters on the work reads “Art for the People: Chairman Mao Said”. The work was first commissioned by MoMA, New York, in 1999 for the inclusion of the museum’s exhibition “Project Series”. It was prominently display above the museum entrance, with the banner and its slogan serving both as a motto for the museum and as a public airing of one of Mao Zedong's most fundamental views on art. Reflective also of the artist's personal conviction that Mao's concept of art for the people is universally relevant; the work exemplifies the way in which Xu integrates his particular cultural background and life experience into the international context of contemporary art. A similar piece is shown at ESLITE GALLERY’s booth in Art Basel Hong Kong.
