Changing Cultures: Zhen Guo, A Retrospective

The Mishkin Gallery at Baruch College is proud to present Changing Cultures: Zhen Guo, A Retrospective, the first major New York survey of artist Zhen Guo (b. 1955, Shandong Province, China).

The works on display span nearly sixty years, from Zhen Guo’s first embroidery (Chairman Mao, 1966) to her large-scale papier-mâché and sewn fabric breast sculptures and handmade tufted tapestries of 2012-2025. The show explores an artist’s journey from China to New York; themes include an immigrant’s identity, motherhood, and the violence embedded in patriarchal cultures. Guo’s large-scale “muted landscape” paintings protest environmental injustice. The exhibition is accompanied by an illustrated brochure with a new essay on Guo by curator Gail Levin.

• Zhen Guo, Timeline of Movement, 2011 (5:44) –  In her debut video art, Guo contrasts Western and Asian approaches to health through tranquil T’ai Chi and vigorous group exercise, illustrating their distinct yet engaging qualities.
• Cleansing Moon, 2018 (7:24) –  Gentle exploration of women’s renewal connects life, femininity, and the cosmos through the refreshing imagery of water. Accompanied by Guo’s poem, it contemplates the cleansing of emotional burdens. 
• Muted Landscapes, 2022 (7:36) –  In this series, Guo reflects on the intimate connection between humanity and the Earth, emphasizing the overlooked significance of both women and nature.
• Zhen Guo, My Heart is Red, 2022 (24:22) – Directed by Mia Chen for their final project at NYU Film School, this short documentary follows Zhen Guo’s art practice, working in her studio, art openings, and daily life through interviews with friends and family, highlighting Guo’s interest in art, the city, and martial arts.

• Moderator: Maika Pollack 
• Speakers: Gail Levin, Zhen Guo, Lori Horowitz, Susan Grabel & Christina Schlesinger