China is a country where dissenting voices have been systematically purged and propaganda efficiently woven into every aspect of life. Art has often served as a political tool, particularly during the Cultural Revolution following Mao's direct orders. This inescapably politically and culturally turbulent atmosphere stipulated a movement of contemporary Chinese artists' diaspora to New York City. A second influx escalated with the Tiananmen Square crackdown in 1989.

"Yellow Ox Mountain" reflects on the artistic inspirations and personal journeys of two such contemporary Chinese artists, Zhang Hongtu (b. 1943) and Zhang Jian-Jun (b. 1955). Their lives and work span from the post-Cultural Revolution political environment of China to today's thriving Chinese contemporary art community of New York. Their work are enriched with not only a deeply rooted tradition, but a profound awareness of the cycles of history and the importance of the dissenting voice in society.