Chinese artist Gao Zhen (left) and his brother Gao Qiang in front of their work 'Mao's Guilt,' Beijing, September 22, 2009. SHIHO FUKADA/NYT/REDUX/REA
The verdict is imminent, and Zhao Yaliang can no longer bear the wait. As calm as she is determined, the 48-year-old is finally about to learn the fate of her husband, artist Gao Zhen, who has already been detained for a year and a half. The visual artist, 70, is facing punishment for works he created over 15 years earlier that were openly critical of Mao Zedong's regime, and for taking the risk of returning to China. "Maybe it will be enough," she hoped, wanting to believe that the sentence will be covered by the 20 months he has already spent in prison awaiting trial.
Zhao also wonders if the current context could finally play in their favor. They are US residents, and their 7-year-old son is an American citizen; will Donald Trump's upcoming visit to Beijing – announced by the White House for May 14 and 15 – help them leave? But Chinese authorities also view these politically motivated trials as a matter of sovereignty, and Zhao is aware that many dissidents who were once released from prison are still not allowed to leave the country.
