In the 1940s, Wu Yinxian took numerous photographs of Mao Zedong, especially between 1942 and 1945. In 1942, the Yan’an reforms and Mao Zedong’s Talks on Art and Culture at the Yan’an Meeting has elevated the artistic language the artist used motivated by saving one’s country to a height of revolutionary aesthetics, thus demanding the artist to shift from self-conscience to obedience, while clarifying their object and function their art serves.

Shot in November 29, 1943, when Mao held the conference of recognizing heroes in the Shaanxi Gansu strip, the image Mao ZeDong Was Giving a Talk Titled ” Organized” at Labour Heroes Meeting of Sha’an-gan-ning Border Area underlines Wu Yinxian’s ability to take snapshots of the leader. According to Wu Yinxian’s memories of taking his photograph, during Chairman Mao’s entire speech, he did not stop waving his hands, with dim light conditions, at every pause of the speech, he was able to demonstrate Mao Zedong’s alert eyes and unique hand gestures.

(Edited by Su Wenxiang, Xu Chongbao, Huang Si, 2015)