Half the Sky talks up the need for more female artists in public spaces

[Photo provided to China Daily]

The title of her book is based on a quote by China's founding father, Mao Zedong, who said in 1955 that women hold up half the sky in China.

Xiao Lu, a female performance artist included in Guest's book, says it will take time for China to change in this regard. Women need to realize their value to push for equal opportunities, too.

Guest has included women who work with different art forms from three generations of Chinese - those in their 50s who experienced the "cultural revolution" (1966-76); a generation born after 1980, influenced by Western pop culture and consumerism; and more younger people growing in the internet era.

Artist Lin Tianmiao, who is also in the book, has made an embroidery piece that uses expressions in both Chinese and English, such as sheng nyu ("leftover" women) and xiao san (mistress).

"It's very crazy for us to see that women at a young age are labeled as 'leftover women' here. But nobody talks about 'leftover men'," Guest says of cultural and social issues that have a bearing on art, demonstrated through the female artists' works.

She says her book mixes Chinese history, language and social context with the aim of letting foreigners know more about Chinese female artists.

First published in Sydney in February, the book is available only in English in China.

If you go

Half the Sky: Chinese Women Artists

9 am-5 pm, through Sunday. Red Gate Gallery, 9 Chongwenmen East Street, Dongcheng district, Beijing. 010-6525-1005.