At the height of their careers, the Gao Brothers created provocative sculptures of Mao in a country notoriously sensitive about its former ruler’s legacy. Due to the “deteriorating environment” in China, Gao Zhen relocated to New York two years ago when his son, an American citizen born in the US, reached school age, Gao Qiang said. “Before he set off, his friends and family — myself included — had all reminded him to consider whether it was safe to go,” Gao Qiang said. “Our father’s death was a devastating disaster for our family.” Gao Zhen told the Southern People Weekly, a once-outspoken news outlet, in 2010. Gao Zhen’s detention shows that freedom of expression in China has shrunk significantly compared to a decade ago, Gao Qiang said.

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