Gao Zhen refused to admit guilt during the trial, according to his wife. S. citizen son have been prevented from leaving China.
The case centers on artworks he exhibited with his brother Gao Qiang in 2009 at a venue in Beijing's 798 art district. According to Dagens Nyheter, they placed a sign to limit visitors so their statues could be provocative while still being exhibited. Among the works was 'The Execution of Jesus,' featuring seven bronze sculptures of Mao Zedong aiming weapons at Jesus, which the brothers said placed the founder of the People's Republic in a situation Chinese people had never seen before.
Another piece, 'Mao's Guilt,' depicted the former leader kneeling with body language signaling deep remorse, intended to show that if he had any shame, he should apologize for his actions. The statues gained attention, and the brothers faced online threats from those who disliked their art. Mao Zedong still evokes strong pride in China, especially among older generations who view him as a demigod.
While it was once said he was 70 percent right and 30 percent wrong, his mistakes—such as the tens of millions who died during the Great Leap Forward or the chaos of the Cultural Revolution—are not publicly discussed. Now, 17 years after the exhibition, no artist in China dares to do anything similar. Under Xi Jinping's leadership, it has become illegal to tarnish the memory of historical figures as part of a campaign to enforce the Communist Party's version of history, with a law introduced five years ago prohibiting discussion of certain historical topics and carrying penalties of up to three years in prison.