Yellow Ox Mountain

Reflections of Two Chinese Artists in New York

A film by Miao Wang
A Three Waters Production

China is a country where dissenting voices have been systematically purged and propaganda efficiently woven into every aspect of life. Art has often served as a political tool, particularly during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) following Mao’s direct orders. This politically turbulent atmosphere drove many contemporary Chinese artists to emigrate to New York City.

Yellow Ox Mountain is a documentary that portrays the artistic endeavors and the personal journeys of two such artists, Zhang Hongtu (b. 1943) and Zhang Jian-Jun (b. 1955), who are part of the Chinese contemporary art community of New York. They were determined to escape from the artistic leash imposed by Chinese cultural control. Each expresses through his art his different experience of the Cultural Revolution, as well as his own personal background. Yet there is a shared sense of constant cultural negotiation as they concurrently look back to their traditions and forward to the multifaceted creative influence of New York.

27 min. Video or DVD. Sale $225. Video rental $65.

Reel NY series, WNET, 2007
Asian Cinevision International Asian American Film Festival, 2007
Best Short Film, Asian Film Festival, Dallas, 2006
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, 2006
San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, 2006
Asian Film Festival, San Diego, 2006