Paint by Numbers: China’s Art Factory from Mao to Now

Claire van den Heever’s Paint by Numbers is a good oral history of the rise of Chinese art over the last few decades. There’s a good review here from the Taipei Times….

The journey of Chinese art–from mass-produced propaganda in the Mao era to modern-day market darling–mirrors China’s own momentous changes like few other disciplines. Today, in both contemporary art and contemporary Chinese society, commerce and politics coexist in a delicate balance, which some call sensible and others, selling out. By traveling to the studios of renowned Chinese artists, hearing their rags-to-riches tales and interviewing the critics, curators, and collectors that have been around since its idealistic beginnings, author Claire van den Heever paints a picture of Chinese art’s bumpy path to commercial and critical success, and uncovers the secrets it tried to keep along the way.