Wang Guangyi's Great Criticism series escalated to international fame in the 1990s. Cast as a representative of contemporary Chinese art at large, its global renown both emerged from and contributed to tired tropes of political dissidence. This talk looks at what has been oversimplified and missed in readings of these iconic images.  By uncovering new meanings for these works, this talk considers the broader stakes of interpretation in a Western-centered global art world. (Image credit: Wang Guangyi, Great Criticism: Coca-Cola, 1990–93. Oil and industrial paint on canvas, 200 x 200 cm. Courtesy of Wang Guangyi Studio.)