[1] After having been postponed in 1987 by the launch of the Chinese Communist Party's political movement, “Against Bourgeois Liberalization”, the exhibition finally received official permission to open at the National Art Museum of China in Beijing on 5 February 1989.
[1] The reason for this reaction is that, against the political landscape at the time, the China/Avant-Garde Exhibition was a controversial call for democracy, and Xiao Lu's gunshots were incredibly provocative both for the National Art Museum of China and for the official authorities.
I've come to understand that with this work, making it for myself is one thing, but how it is interpreted is also a big part of it.”[6] After staying in Australia for eight years (1989-1997), Xiao Lu returned to her hometown of Hangzhou in 1997 and continued to create art up until now.
[8] As Chinese women were not allowed IVF treatment if they weren't married, she consulted a Western doctor who promised to perform the procedure if she could collect and freeze the sperm.
[10] The 2024 Sydney Festival event titled 'In Our Time: Four Decades of Art from China and Beyond – The Geoff Raby Collection' features a piece by Xiao Lu.
This decision is rooted in Xiao Lu's principled stance against Geoff Raby, the former Australian Ambassador to China and a prominent collector of Chinese contemporary art.
[11] Xiao Lu's refusal to participate and her call for a boycott are linked to her objection to Geoff Raby's endorsement of the Chinese government, a regime known for its records of suppressing human rights.
The artist's protest reflects a broader concern about the ethical implications of aligning with individuals who support or legitimize a government with a history of human rights violations.