Censorship and book bans are on the rise worldwide, prompting growing concerns about access to information and free expression. Although this trajectory is increasingly worrisome, it isn’t new, as artist Xiaoze Xie reflects on his exhibition In the Name of the Book.Comprising paintings and life-sized porcelain sculptures, the show encompasses works made in the early 1990s through the present day, all of which reflect on the vital role books play in cultural, political, and social life. Xie’s practice is largely informed by his upbringing in China—he was born in Guangdong the same year as the Cultural Revolution— and in 1989, he witnessed the deadly Tiananmen Square protests. After moving to the U.S. in 1993, he began to incorporate this history and concerns about such restrictions into his works as a form of protest. “The Forbidden Books Series: The Golden Lotus (Voyeurism); Banned as an obscene book in the 7th year of Qing Emperor Tongzhi’s reign (1868)” (2019), porcelain, 12 1/4 x 17 1/4 x 1 3/4 inchesBook banning, particularly in the U.S., can sometimes be framed as a novel issue, and part of Xie’s effectiveness is that he connects the rise in modern-day censorship to what occurred centuries before. The Forbidden Books Series interprets classic novels, plays, and more that were prohibited largely throughout the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912). Fiction like The Golden Lotus and Water Margin, for example, were charged with being sexually explicit and obscene, while the Chinese government barred the theatrical production The Peony Pavilion from leaving Shanghai for a New York performance in 1998 because of its “feudal, superstitious, and pornographic” qualities.While these works are well-known cases of censorship, Xie points out that they’re just a sampling of a much larger problem. He writes:Over the last 2,000 years, the books that have disappeared in China because of prohibition are countless. There is no trace of them anymore; all I have found is a small fraction. All of these old paper stacks, these silent books, consist of thoughts and discourses. These invisible and shapeless things and the stories behind them—the complicated contexts of philosophical, religious, political, historical, social, ethical, and racial issues—are gone. The history of banning books is a process of challenging repeated oppression and control, and challenging it again. It is alongside this back-and-forth repetition, I think, that history slowly marches on.Preserving their likeness in porcelain with pages splayed out flat is an act of defiance for the artist, as he presents these otherwise concealed texts as permanently open for public consumption.In the Name of the Book is on view through April 17 at Sapar Contemporary. Find more from the artist on Instagram.“The Forbidden Book Series: Water Margin; Banned in the 24th year of Qing Emperor Daoguang’s reign and the 7th year of Qing Emperor Tongzhi’s reign as an obscene book” (2025), porcelain, painted in underglaze blue, two elements, 8 x 10 1/2 x 1 1/2 inches“The Forbidden Books Series: The Peony Pavilion (Diagnose evil spirits); Banned in the 24th year of Qing Emperor Daoguang’s reign and the 7th year of Qing Emperor Tongzhi’s reign as an obscene book” (2024), porcelain, painted in underglaze blue, two elements, 10 7/8 x 11 7/8 x 3/4 inches“The Forbidden Books Series: The Peony Pavilion (Coming Back to Life)” (2025), porcelain, painted in underglaze blue, two elements, 10 1/2 x 14 x 1 1/2 inches“The Forbidden Books Series: Qian Qianyi. Śūraṅgama Sūtra. Banned in 1770s during the Qianlong Reign/Qing Dynasty” (2025), porcelain, unglazed, 12 1/2 x 11 1/2 x 1 1/2 inchesDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $7 per month. The article Xiaoze Xie Preserves a Growing Collection of Banned Books in Porcelain appeared first on Colossal.