Luo Brothers


b. Luo Weidong, 1963, Luo Weiguo, 1964 and Luo Weibing, 1972

Born in Nanning, the southern Chinese region of Guanxi Zhuang, after China’s infamous Cultural Revolution, each of the three Luo brothers were given names that conjured images of patriotism and strength. Born in 1963, Luo Weidong’s name means ‘defender of the Orient’; Luo Weiguo, born in 1964, translates as ‘defender of the country’, and Luo Weibing, born in 1972, is ‘defender of the body’. These names reflect the politics and nationalist ideas of the period, but by the time brothers had grown up and completed their schooling, China’s cultural climate had shifted. Having each studied at different art academies, the brothers relocated to Beijing, where they continue to live and work today. Their collaborative work is symbolic of the changing society in which they live, drawing on China’s rich visual traditions along with its contemporary consumerism.

During the 1990s, Cynical Realism and Political Pop rejected or subverted the collective mindset and concepts of the Cultural Revolution. Artists working in these genres often adopted post-ironic humor to tackle China’s changing socio-political landscape, as the country moved from Communism to modernization, industrialization and consumerism. The Luo Brothers have taken up these themes, creating pop art that stem from the origins of their cultural traditions, such as bright lights and red lanterns that adorn Chinese restaurants and the city during festivals and/or the peasant handicrafts containing masses of multicolored flowers. However, their pop art is also infiltrated by subdue political comments concerning the new omnipresent consumerist power found readily in their new society. The brothers delve deep into China’s artistic heritage, both aesthetically and technically, employing the traditions of lacquer painting and ink-on-paper. They also produce sculptures that equally demonstrate an obsessive attention to detail and craftsmanship.