Children of Marx and Coca-Cola

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Children of Marx and Coca-Cola: Chinese Avant-Garde Art and Independent Cinema

A 2009 non-fiction book by Xiaoping Lin, published by the University of Hawaiʻi Press. It’s part of the Critical Interventions series, edited by Sheldon Hsiao-peng Lu, and looks at how Chinese artists and filmmakers from China and the United States explored the changes of China’s Reform era. The book includes 30 black-and-white photos and is written for readers interested in modern Chinese art and cinema.

What the book covers
- Introduction: How to read Chinese avant-garde art and independent cinema in context, including Andy Warhol’s 1982 trip to China.
- Part I: Re-creating Urban Space in Avant-Garde Art
- Focuses on Chinese artists like Hong Hao and Yin Xiuzhen, plus Cai Guo-Qiang, Zhang Huan, and Xu Bing in New York.
- Part II: China’s Lost Youth through the Lens of Independent Cinema
- Examines Sixth Generation films such as Beijing Bastards, Beijing Bicycle, Lunar Eclipse, Rainclouds over Wushan, Suzhou River, and The Orphan of Anyang.
- Discusses film images and works like Peacock, Shanghai Dreams, and Stolen Life.
- Part III: Jia Zhangke’s Cinematic Trilogy and Other Video Work
- Covers Jia Zhangke’s Platform, Xiao Shan Going Home, and Xiao Wu.
- Looks at Yang Fudong’s video works and Ning Hao’s Incense.
- Postscript: Chinese artists and filmmakers at the start of a new century.
- Notes: Some chapters were first published in this book; others appeared previously in journals or books.
- Visuals: The book includes 30 monochrome photographs of films and artworks.

Reception
- Rossella Ferrari (SOAS) called the book an important contribution to contemporary Chinese studies and a pleasurable read.
- Ting Wang (historical journal) said the book helps non-Chinese readers understand the field, but criticized some heavy referencing that can distract from the author’s own argument, and noted that comparisons to American films may dilute the originality of Chinese works or assume films unknown to many Chinese creators.

In short, the book surveys key artists and filmmakers from China’s avant-garde scene and sixth-generation cinema, showing how they reflected and shaped China’s changing society through art and film.