The Clash of Ideologies
In this series Mao Zedong poems as artwork, I explore the collision of two opposing worlds. I use antique Western documents—old stock certificates, invoices, and lithographs from the 19th century—as the canvas for the revolutionary poetry of Mao Zedong. The result is a visual paradox: The fading symbols of Western capitalism and bourgeois culture are overwritten by the bold, energetic calligraphy of the man who sought to destroy them. It is a dialogue about power, history, and the impermanence of all empires.
1. Economy & Revolution
Capitalism vs. Communism
Overwriting an obsolete Austrian stock certificate or a merchant’s invoice with Mao’s slogans creates a sharp irony. The “Nonvaleur” (worthless paper) of the past becomes the carrier for the “priceless” words of the Chairman. It questions what truly holds value in history.
Read more about the background of these works
2. Nature & Power in Mao Zedong poems as artwork
The Wild Script
Mao’s calligraphy is often described as a “wild grass” style—unpredictable and organic. In these works, I overlay his poems onto antique engravings of animals and plants. The text becomes part of the texture, merging the political force of the script with the natural world.
3. Mortality & The Human Frame
The Flesh and the Word
By placing political slogans over anatomical prints or skulls, the work touches on the transience of life versus the endurance of ideas. Even the most powerful ideologies must eventually contend with the reality of the human condition.
Collecting Mao Zedong poems as artwork
Most of these works are available for purchase, either as unique originals or as museum-quality fine art prints. You can explore the currently available collection in my online studios:
FriedrichZettl.com (Main Shop)
Saatchi Art (International Gallery)
About Mao Zedong Calligraphy
Mao Zedong, (1893–1976) was not only a political leader but arguably one of the most significant calligraphers of the 20th century. Trained in traditional styles from an early age, he developed a unique “Mao Style” (Mao Ti) characterized by varying sizes, exaggerated tilts, and a disregard for the classic grid. His brushwork is wild, energetic, and unapologetically modern. For Mao, calligraphy was a political tool. By overwriting the past with his own script, he symbolically claimed ownership of history—a concept I mirror in these artworks by physically overwriting historical documents.