Shi Xinning was born in 1969, in Liaoning Province, China to his parents who were People's Liberation Army members.

Shi Xinning's work appears to deal with issues of history, cultural memory, Western Eurocentrism, and Chinese Isolationism.

Mao Zedong can be seen beside celebrities Sofia Loren and Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Peggy Guggenheim, and even Andy Warhol.

The irony of the Communist chairman Mao being a welcome observer of the hearing injects humor into the situation and establishes Shi Xinning's works as re-authorings of collective cultural memory.

[3] Shi Xinning´s work appears in the "China Art Book", The 80 most renowned Chinese Artists, DUMONT ISBN 978-3-8321-7769-0 When referring to the purpose or meaning behind his inclusion of Mao Zedong in his paintings, Xinning cited influences from his early life in China during the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

[2] Xinning's artwork has seen commercial success in the art market, where his work "Mao and McCarthy" was valued in 2007 to be worth between 50,000 and 70,000 USD at auction.

[5] Xinning relies heavily on the usage of icons and visual themes from the Chinese Cultural Revolution, particularly the likeness of Mao Zedong.