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The 1960s: Mixed Messages Abound

The 1960s were calamitous years for China. Mao Zedong’s experiments with mass industrialization during the Great Leap Forward (1958-1961) led to famine and widespread starvation and death. The zealotry of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1969) led to the formation of the Red Guard. This paramilitary social movement tasked millions of young people with ridding China of the “Four Olds” – old customs, old habits, old ideas, and old culture.

Within the visual realm, mixed messages were abundant. While chaos and famine were the reality, printing presses churned out images such titled, “We are Mao Zedong’s Little Red Soldiers” and “Socialism is fine!” Millions of images of Mao Zedong were circulated, showing him as poet, calligrapher, statesman, and soldier. At the same time, the public voiced criticism of authority figures with “big character posters,” diatribes handwritten on newsprint and hung in public spaces.

Young Mao Zedong Doing Calligraphy Engraving, 1950s	National Day Celebration at Tian’anmen Square Offset print	“A Letter to the Party” Offset Print, April 1959 Mao Zedong
“Wishing Chairman Mao Long Life without End” Liu Wenxi, 1959	“Taking the Market to the People” Offset print, republished 1986	Chairman Mao in military attire Woodblock print, 1966-69
“Central Committee Document, May 16th Directive” 1966	“Bombard the Headquarters! My Big Character Poster” Offset print, 1966	Big Character Poster “Liu Shaoqi Deserves Ten Thousand Deaths for Desecration of Traditional Chinese Medicine” Handwritten text on newsprint  2012 reproduction of 1966 text
“Celebrate the 18th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China” Lu Xun Pictorial, October 1st, 1967	“Let’s Mobilize!” Offset print, 1968	“Long Live Chairman Mao, the red sun in the hearts of revolutionary people worldwide” Offset print, 1969
“There’s a Sea-Change in the World” Offset print, 1967	“Our production brigade has added another granary” Offset print, 1971	Chairman Mao with his close comrades-in-arms Zhou Enlai and Lin Biao Offset print, 1968
Rubber ink stamps in the shape of China’s Leaders Molded plastic, 2010	Rubber ink stamps in the shape of China’s Leaders Molded plastic, 2010	Rubber ink stamps in the shape of China’s Leaders Molded plastic, 2010