Their childhood was marked by the harsh Cultural Revolution, during which their father died in captivity. Driven by this past, the Gao Brothers were among the early generation of dissidents at the cradle of the Chinese avant-garde. The artistic brothers and freedom fighters were unconventional and created art against the imposed rules.

Until the Chinese government took Hong Kong, their oeuvre broke many taboos. The artists also criticised the idolisation of former communist leader Mao Zedong. On 26 August 2024, Gao Zhen was arrested and retroactively charged for ‘tarnishing the honour and reputation of Chinese heroes and martyrs.’ In China, the struggle for freedom and democracy is far from over.