I find it quite expressive to be honest.
But I get your point about the absence of creative freedom.
Most art, anywhere, always, had to comply with some power. I don't believe it's very different today in the west, although it manifests diferently.
The most stringent exemple of this may be rennaissance painters who've spent a great part of their talent painting portraits for aristocrats. Yet, even in that case of very narrow use case and vital necessity to please the power, the art can be creative, can't it? Once you manage to set aside that violent scrumbag looking down at you.
Most art, anywhere, always, had to comply with some power. I don't believe it's very different today in the west, although it manifests diferently.
The most stringent exemple of this may be rennaissance painters who've spent a great part of their talent painting portraits for aristocrats. Yet, even in that case of very narrow use case and vital necessity to please the power, the art can be creative, can't it? Once you manage to set aside that violent scrumbag looking down at you.