Chinese artist Badiucao in his studio in Melbourne, Australia. Badiucao’s show, “Made in Hong Kong, Banned in China,” opens Feb. 20 in Melbourne. (Asanka Brendon Ratnayake/AFP/Getty Images)
By Casey Quackenbush Feb. 18, 2020 at 9:59 a.m. EST
The Washington Post
SYDNEY — A dissident Chinese cartoonist whose solo Hong Kong show was canceled because of purported threats from authorities is set to revive the exhibition in Australia, offering a scathing critique of China’s communist leaders as they grapple with two themes of his work — the deadly coronavirus outbreak and political strife in Hong Kong.
The show, “Made in Hong Kong, Banned in China,” by the Shanghai-born, Australia-based artist Badiucao, is to open Thursday in Melbourne for a 10-day run as part of a festival. But it comes as Australia faces growing political pressure from China, fueling a national debate about the risks to freedom of speech, and raising the prospect of a Chinese backlash.
“I’ve waited for so long,” Badiucao, who uses a pen name to protect his identity, said in an interview. “Silence will not be the way for me to stay safe, not the way I can get my freedom back. … I have to make noise to warn more people.”
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