Working under a pseudonym that means “no boundaries,” Sun Mu reclaims the visual language he once used as a state propaganda artist and turns it inside out. Familiar heroic images are recast with satire, nuance, and longing—painting not only critique, but hope for a different future.

As he prepares for a rare solo exhibition in China, the risks escalate, and the tension between anonymity and exposure underscores the stakes of speaking through art.