May 6 - 29, 2010
"Let a hundred flowers bloom, let the hundred schools of thought contend." Mao Zedong
The “100 Flowers Campaign” was a deceptive effort by the Chinese government to encourage artistic expression for the purpose of exposing and prosecuting anyone who espoused ideas contrary to Communist Party ideology. Under the guise of inspiring one “hundred schools of thought,” the Chinese imprisoned thousands of well-intentioned free-thinkers during the mid-1950’s.
In his work, entitled “ 100 Flowers Campaign,” Arun Sharma evokes the heritage of his wife, Le, as an integral component of his art. To avoid persecution, her family fled from China to Viet Nam just before she was born. Soon thereafter, the family fled to Australia, once again to escape communism. Separated from her Chinese heritage, Le was raised in Australia from the age of two.
“100 Flowers Campaign,” is a series of one hundred images, each depicting a flower in some shape or form. Each flower was inspired by a specific work of western art; and collectively, the work represents the “blooming” of one hundred schools of thought within the western art world. Arun’s wife Le, serves as the canvas for this work, as each image is projected directly onto her. By virtue of her history and experience, Le serves as an evocative medium for the blooming of these flowers. Ironically, it was an act of suppression that drove Le from her homeland, later allowing her to become a physical manifestation of artistic expression. Le’s experience, as well as this work of art, could not have been possible had her family remained in China.