Prominent Chinese-Australian artist Guo Jian has been detained by Chinese authorities ahead of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen crackdown , according to friends . His arrest came soon after the artist was profiled in a Financial Times article , which featured his latest installation -- a diorama of Tiananmen Square covered in ground meat . In the article , Guo was highly critical of the People 's Liberation Army 's ( PLA ) actions during the 1989 incident , in which he served in the late 1970s . Guo was taken from his home in eastern Beijing on Sunday night , and contacted friends by text message to let them know that he had been arrested . Friends contacted by text message . Artist Melanie Wang told the Sydney Morning Herald she called Guo after receiving a text message and he told her he 'd been taken to a detention center . He said officers said he 'd be released in 15 days . Guo was an active participant in the 1989 demonstrations , which lasted weeks and culminated in PLA troops opening fire on a largely student crowd which had occupied the central Beijing landmark . Guo , it was revealed in the FT 's `` Lunch with the FT '' article , published on May 30 , also took part in a hunger strike at the time of the student protests . Another of Guo 's friends told CNN he phoned the artist Sunday night to talk about the FT article . After receiving no answer , the artist sent a message back , saying that he was `` with police '' and then a following SMS saying , `` do n't call me . '' Following this , the friend received another message , this time in Chinese , saying he had gone to Tongzhou police station , near the Songzhuang art colony where he lives and works . Protesters march ahead of anniversary . Artwork `` provocative '' `` I would characterize his ( new artwork ) as somewhat provocative so I assume that , plus the month we are in , and imminent anniversaries , might have had something to do with it , '' the friend said . The person added that Guo was well aware of the risks that creating art of this nature might engender . `` The purpose of the installation was a commemoration of the Tiananmen massacre . He 's not naïve about this stuff , he 's fully aware of how things can go down . '' Prior to finishing the project , Guo asked the friend not to tell anyone about it , for fear that the authorities would stop him from working on it . Australian support . The Australian government released a statement Monday , offering its assistance to the artist , who holds an Australian passport . `` The Australian Embassy in Beijing has contacted Chinese authorities to seek further information on the reported detention of Mr Guo Jian and to underline our strong interest in the matter , '' a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said . `` The Australian Government stands ready to extend all possible consular assistance to Mr Guo . '' Amnesty International released a statement Monday condemning Guo 's arrest , and noted that detentions have been on the rise in the build up to the 25th anniversary , compared to previous years . Authorities across the country have arrested a number of prominent dissidents and critics of the government ahead of the anniversary of the massacre , which falls on June 4 . `` Guo Jian is the latest victim of the Chinese authorities ' merciless campaign of repression ahead of the Tiananmen anniversary , '' said William Nee , China Researcher at Amnesty International . `` He along with the scores of others detained for peacefully speaking out about the bloodshed of 1989 must be immediately released . '' `` Highest '' levels of freedom . When asked about criticism of China 's human rights record , Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Hua Chunying previously told CNN that human rights should n't been viewed in the `` criteria of the United States . '' `` Our society is moving forward , the living standards of people have improved and level of freedoms are at their highest , '' she said . In the FT article , Guo recalled the moment , 25 years ago , when troops opened fire on the Tiananmen demonstrators . `` I did n't believe it , even though I had been a soldier , '' Guo is reported as saying . `` In the army I had never seen that sort of violence . Then I saw the tracers and people falling around me -- they were just gone . I suddenly realised , shit , this was war . '' No official count has ever been released , but estimates of the dead in the incident range from hundreds to thousands , most of whom were killed by PLA soldiers .
Artist Guo Jian detained by Chinese authorities . Detention comes after publication of article in which artist criticized Chinese army . Guo was a protester at the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown . Latest artwork a commemoration of events in which hundreds of protesters were killed .