Centro San Antonio (Centro) will debut a new placemaking location this Spring in partnership with real estate investor James Lifschutz, in a once desolate area of downtown in and around the 300 Block of East Commerce.
Located just off San Pedro Creek, this placemaking experiment will once again utilize art as a catalyst to create a space where people want to be. Art Everywhere, Centro’s public art endeavor, recently assisted in a new installation featuring a 4.5-ton, 21 ft tall sculpture entitled, “Miss Mao Trying to Poise Herself at The Top of Lenin’s Head” (affectionately dubbed ‘The Gao Mao’) by the world-renown artists the Gao Brothers. The artists describe the piece as a satirical criticism of Mao Zedong and his cultural revolution. A full artists’ statement and background can be found here: https://www.vancouverbiennale.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Gao-Mao.pdf
“This block has been struggling for decades,” said Lifschutz. “I believe in the power of art, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to introduce something of beauty and weight into Zona Cultural. It’s slowly waking up now, and I know this sculpture will be a huge part of it.”
Lifschutz also says he was immediately drawn to the piece, its beauty, its imperfections, and satirical
