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So much of the story we hear about China today is an economic one\u2014how over the past few decades, it has risen from poverty and ruin to become a global economic powerhouse. But there\u2019s a story beneath the surface, of the artistic avant-garde that resisted rule from above and inspired generations of ordinary Chinese citizens to seek freedom of expression. From their countryside re-education posts to the abandoned warehouses of Beijing and the short-lived Democracy Wall, Chinese artists flourished at the edge of acceptability\u2014until the entire edifice came crashing down with the Tiananmen Square massacre. Madeleine O\u2019Dea\u2019s new book, The Phoenix Years, follows the lives of nine contemporary Chinese artists to tell the story of how art shaped a nation.

Visit the episode page for portraits and archival images of the artists and their work.

Go beyond the episode:

• Madeleine O\u2019Dea\u2019s The Phoenix Years: Art, Resistance, and the Making of Modern China
• Peruse the exhibition catalogue for the seminal 1993 Hong Kong show, \u201cChina\u2019s New Art, Post-1989\u201d (now out of print)
• Guo Jian\u2019s artist website
• Xhang Ziaogang\u2019s work on artnet
• Aniwar\u2019s work on Artsy, if you\u2019re looking to buy
• Listen to our first China-focused episode, \u201cUnlikely Encounters,\u201d for an interview with Julian Gewirtz the least likely visitor to the People\u2019s Republic: Milton Friedman

Tune in every two weeks to catch interviews with the liveliest voices from literature, the arts, sciences, history, and public affairs; reports on cutting-edge works in progress; long-form narratives; and compelling excerpts from new books. Hosted by Stephanie Bastek.

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Have suggestions for projects you\u2019d like us to catch up on, or writers you want to hear from? Send us a note: podcast [at] theamericanscholar [dot] org. And rate us on iTunes!

Our theme music was composed by Nathan Prillaman.

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