Our Generation – Oh Yeah!

This statue with the jumping goat figure is a creation of Gao Xiao Wu. This Chinese artist bases his work on the daily lives of ordinary people in the city. He believes art is for everyone. Gao was born in 1976 and grew up in a small rural village. Today he lives and works in Beijing.

His work is often humorous and socially critical. Gao’s sculptures reflect on social issues such as globalisation, technology and consumer culture. In his work he lets you see people who are in no way comparable to the perfect bodies you expect from classical sculpture. Many of his figures are based on the farmers from his childhood memories. Gao shows the contrast between ambition and setbacks and between reality and dreams. With his images he draws attention to ordinary people who will never escape their harsh reality, but who nevertheless never give up hope.

The stainless steel sculpture “Our Generation – Oh Yeah!” shows a young person jumping over an imaginary obstacle on his way to glory, fame and great heights.