DSL Magazine: Issue 6

He Xiangyu (b.1986) responded indirectly with The Death of Marat (2011), a sculpture representing, very realistically, Ai Weiwei in glass fiber lying with his face upon the ground and with closed eyes. David would portray heroes of his time and nowadays Chinese artists portray their own heroes, or search for them. For the artist, the presentation of the works can help people understand the society. It is certainly a pure visual language, which can probably inject new elements into the culture, or simply remain there as a form of continuity. Art as an ideology is closely interrelated with social and economical factors, and reflections of such relationships can be found in all historical periods. The basic elements of each artwork derive from life, yet people can be educated from great works. He Xiangyu, The Death of Marat, 2011, mixed media, life size Courtesy of the artist and White Space Beijing