Since I got onto the subject [see post immediately below this] of the talking (or more accurately, delusionally ranting) Hugo Chavez doll, I had to go back to the phenomena of collecting schlock related to sinister murderous dictators, in this case Mao. There is at least one site where one can pay up to hundreds of dollars to buy original or reproduction porcelains depicting the leader, his subordinates and revolutionary characters, many of them related to the Cultural Revolution period. Despite the political incorrectness of what I am about to say, I admit that I happen to be attracted to them for their hideously tastelessly realistic and rhetorical value, not to mention their lurid colors. It's Communist Lladro! In many of these figures, Mao looks a bit like a drag queen wearing red lipstick. The question is, given my family history, would I be offended if I went to somebody's house and they had a bust of Franco displayed knowingly as campy kitsch memorabilia?
this is the site that sells the figurines: http://www.1930shanghai.com/catalog.html
If you want to know about the iconography of Mao, how contemporary people in China view it, and the ways in which contemporary artists reinterpret this imagery, read this amazing article "Personal Mao" by an expert on the subject, Francesca Dal Lago:
The megalomanical and deluded dictator Hugo Chavez is at it again, derailed by the crushing defeat of his attempt to turn Venezuela into a "Socialist" dictatorship, now he is literally micro-managing people's lives by turning the clock back on his countrymen, thus interfering with every aspect of their lives. Of course he has already implemented many policies that have done far more damage, and the food shortages are just one example of this. People have to be subjected to his bizarre rambling cadenas that go on for hours and pre-empt regularly-scheduled programming on TV and radio, sometimes he even sings, other times he makes threats of violence. Now he is convinced that changing the clocks back one half hour will make a revolutionary change in the "working people's" lives but in fact it is creating a huge hassle. (see below) This half-hour change means that he isn't on the same time zone as the USA.
But if you think this initiative is deluded and narcissistic, check this out - be warned some of the people in the video, if you understand Spanish, are actually saying that children love Chavez and are attracted by the doll!!! This reminds me of the ubiquitous Mao figurines - my personal faves are the glow in the dark plastic ones, the great leader was always watching!
_________________________________________________________________ Venezuelans Reset Clocks With Chavez's New Time Zone (Update1) By Matthew Walter
Dec. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Venezuelans began their work week at a new hour after President Hugo Chavez ordered clocks set back, creating a time zone unique to the South American country.
Chavez says setting clocks back half an hour will allow school children to wake up with the sun and ease poor Venezuelans' pre-dawn commute. Since the decree's publication on Nov. 27, businesses have struggled to update time-sensitive computer systems.
Chavez, who says time zones were created by ``imperialists,'' has also changed the country's name to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and redesigned its coat of arms and national flag in his bid to create a ``21st century socialist'' society. Some Venezuelans say the time change is part of Chavez's drive to put his mark on every aspect of the country's national identity.
``It's a political whim,'' said Yanitza Lopez, 27, an accountant for a cosmetics company in Caracas. ``It's not going to make any difference for any kids.''
Airlines and travel agencies were still calling and e- mailed passengers last week to notify them about flight changes, and the Caracas stock exchange had to update its software to ensure trades ran smoothly today.
``The time change is going to affect many flights, and lots of airlines still haven't changed their timetables,'' said Roberto Pulido, country manager for Copa Airlines and president of Venezuela's airline association. ``This is an additional cost, because we've had to update all of our reservation systems.''
Authority
Venezuela joins a handful of countries, including India, Iran, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka that don't set their time in increments of one hour from Greenwich Mean Time.
``This affects even the biological functioning of the body,'' the president said yesterday, according to the state news wire. ``It's scientifically proven.
Local media spent the past week focusing on the aftermath of a Dec. 2 national referendum, in which voters rejected the president's plan to overhaul the constitution to allow him to run for re-election indefinitely, contributing to confusion about yesterday's change.
Chavez has changed the start date for the new time zone at least once, and in a national address he mistakenly said the plan was to turn clocks forward by half an hour.
``I don't really understand the point, but nothing with this president surprises me,'' said Rafael Sucre, 39, a doctor, as he exited a subway station last week in the Chacao commercial district of the nation's capital, Caracas.
To contact the reporter on this story: Matthew Walter in Caracas at mwalter4@bloomberg.net
With interests including the sinister doings of the artworld, pageantry, 20th and 21st century dictators, reality TV, racial and gender politics, camp, schlock, deposed and reigning European aristocrats, and fashion, Petite Maoiste writes this blog as a means of grappling with academentia.
for more see: why is this blog called petite maoiste????
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