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Ever since the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1, 1949, locals and tourists fill Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing to get a glimpse of one of the most important works of art in China, the portrait of Mao Zedong that hangs on Tiananmen Gate. CCTV News reporter Fei Ye sat down with the reclusive painter Ge Xiaoguang, who shares the story of his association with the portrait of Chairman Mao.

The official portrait of Mao Zedong overlooking Tian'anmen Square in Beijing is one of the most recognisable images in China. But who's the artist behind the painting?

CCTV News reporter Fei Ye sat down with the reclusive painter Ge Xiaoguang, who shares the story of his association with the portrait of Chairman Mao.

"I started working as a painter when I was 18 years old at the Beijing Fine Arts Company. That's where I began to learn to paint large-scale portraits like Chairman Mao, and other leaders. I think it was fate that my bosses chose me. I'm lucky to have this job and lucky to be able to say that I am the official portrait painter of Chairman Mao." Ge Xiaoguang said.

To this day, Ge holds the post, the fourth to do so since 1949. He has painted Mao for more than 35 years. In 1977, at age 24, Ge's first portrait was hung at Tian'anmen, a year after Chairman Mao's death.

"When I took the job, Chairman Mao had just died. It was so stressful when I painted my first Mao painting, but I tried my best with the skills I had at that time. People around China are all very familiar with Mao's face. So there was a lot of pressure for me to paint it, knowing everyone who walks across Tiananmen will look at it." Ge Xiaoguang said.

The first time the Mao painting has been hung was during the inaugural ceremony of the People's Republic of China on October 1st, 1949. Mao Zedong stood at the balcony at the Tian'anmen Gate where the official painting of him in an octagonal cap and a course woolen jacket was displayed.

Over the years, the face has aged, appeared grim, taken on a fatherly look, and even shown a faint smile. At some point, the portrait became more realistic and less stylized.

CCTV News reporter Fei Ye sat down with the reclusive painter Ge Xiaoguang, who shares the story of his association with the portrait of Chairman Mao.

"Throughout the years, there have been several versions of Mao's portrait. The government changes the portrait according to different circumstances and political situation. There was a period, where the painting of Mao only showed one ear. It was a nice portrait, but we were afraid people would feel uncomfortable seeing Mao like that, so we had to modify it. Then we tried to find more pictures of Mao, and finally decide to use this one. But if you look at this picture carefully, Mao doesn't have a straightforward pose either; he turns to the side a little bit, which is more dynamic and vivid." Ge Xiaoguang said.

Ge said, his inspiration comes from official photographs, books, and videos. But there are many difficulties beyond the artistic.

"The painting has to face the problem of wind, rain and sunshine all around the year and has to adapt to the changes of light throughout the day. So we have to study and analyze every aspect of it to prevent the distortion of the color. That means choosing the right paint that can stand the different weather conditions." Ge Xiaoguang said

Every year, prior to October 1st National Day, Mao gets a makeover. A new portrait is hung at Tian'anmen

"Chairman Mao is not an ordinary person. You have to paint him with deep understanding of his spirit and his connection with the Chinese revolution. What I'm doing is not just art; it's beyond art. The significance of this portrait carries the same weight as our national flag and emblem. I feel very happy that I'm able to paint Mao's portrait all my life. Every year, I try to make the painting better. This journey has been and will always be my most important artistic creation." Ge Xiaoguang said.

For decades, the 15-by-20 foot oil painting has served as a national icon. People wonder, where will each of the painting be placed after they are taken down. Will they be sold, auctioned off or placed in the museum? Ge said, the painting is a cultural relic to the Chinese people, all the previous hung paintings will be destroyed by putting on white paint over. They will never be displayed, at least for now. This is Fei Ye in Beijing for cctvnews.

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