Beijing: Prominent Australian artist Guo Jian has been detained in China amid a heightened security operation in central Beijing aimed at preventing the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

Concerned friends and fellow artists say the 52-year-old Chinese-born Australian, a former soldier and Tiananmen Square protester, was taken away on Sunday night from his home in Songzhuang, an art colony on the eastern fringe of Beijing.

Guo sent two short text messages to friends on Sunday night saying he he had been taken away by police.

One friend, artist consultant Melanie Wang, said she was able to reach Guo on the phone shortly afterward. Guo said police had told him he would be released in 15 days and that he was being taken to a detention centre.