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Post by astrogirl on Apr 11, 2011 21:07:24 GMT -8
Ai Weiwei's final statement before his blog was shut down: "What can they do to me? Nothing more than to banish, kidnap, or imprison me. Perhaps they could fabricate my disappearance into thin air, but they don't have any creativity or imagination. And they lack both joy and the ability to fly." ~Ai Weiwei Mary Ann Sieghart profiles Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0103zpp |
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Post by sleepboy on Apr 11, 2011 21:16:17 GMT -8
What a great quote. It's pretty sad and chilling that this can still happen in this day and age. I would not have thought they would hold him this long, in fact, I wouldn't be surprised now if they lock him away for good...
Nice public intervention on the sunflower seeds too...
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Post by lowpro on Apr 11, 2011 21:24:50 GMT -8
Right. That gave me chills when I read that the first time. Talk about foreshadowing. I suppose if you mess with a hornets nest your bound to get stung. But still, some scary last words right there. In a different era, or even in contemporary China for less well known activists, he'd never turn up alive again. I really find it hard to believe he won't eventually get released, even if he's forced to serve a prison sentence of some length based on trumped up "economic crimes". This is way too much in the public eye, though, for some hugely drastic injustice to be allowed. Perhaps that just wishful thinking, as it's been a week already and the situation seems to only be getting more bleak.
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Post by astrogirl on Apr 11, 2011 22:38:41 GMT -8
It's pretty sad and chilling that this can still happen in this day and age. That's what I keep saying....and then I think - no way they'll do him harm, not with this much global attention. But what will China care what anyone thinks? They're a global economic 800lbs gorilla - no debt issues and $2 trillion in reserves. Will anyone step up to save one human life against that? I hope so. |
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Post by gildoinc on Apr 12, 2011 10:59:38 GMT -8
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Post by lowpro on Apr 12, 2011 17:35:53 GMT -8
Thanks for the heads up. Worked it into a post for tomorrow about the book that was just released.. Ai Weiwei's Blog: Writings, Interviews, and Digital Rants, 2006-2009 (Writing Art)  In 2006, even though he could barely type, China's most famous artist started blogging. For more than three years, Ai Weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and architecture, and autobiographical writings. He wrote about the Sichuan earthquake (and posted a list of the schoolchildren who died because of the government’s "tofu-dregs engineering"), reminisced about Andy Warhol and the East Village art scene, described the irony of being investigated for "fraud" by the Ministry of Public Security, made a modest proposal for tax collection. Then, on June 1, 2009, Chinese authorities shut down the blog. This book offers a collection of Ai's online writings translated into English--the most complete, public documentation of the original Chinese blog available in any language. The New York Times has called Ai "a figure of Warholian celebrity." He is a leading figure on the international art scene, a regular in museums and biennials, but in China he is a manifold and controversial presence: artist, architect, curator, social critic, justice-seeker. He was a consultant on the design of the famous "Bird’s Nest" stadium but called for an Olympic boycott; he received a Chinese Contemporary Art "lifetime achievement award" in 2008 but was beaten by the police in connection with his "citizen investigation" of earthquake casualties in 2009. Ai Weiwei's Blog documents Ai's passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for China. Overnighted myself a copy today for my flight tomorrow. Available at Amazon. |
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Post by sleepboy on May 7, 2011 8:36:13 GMT -8
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Post by rsingletary on May 8, 2011 13:20:55 GMT -8
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/blogpost/post/ai-weiwei-the-artwork-of-the-missing-chinese-activist/2011/04/05/AFVYomjC_blog.htmlThis link goes to: " Ai Weiwei: The artwork of the missing Chinese activist " [ article written by Melissa Bell for The Washington Post__blogPOST on April 5, 2011 ]. NOTE: This article, photos, and video caught my interest !! LATER EDIT: Just finished watching the video posted by sleepboy ( Reply #31 )____and enjoyed it so much I had to give him a big EXALT........couldn't resist ! __________________________________________________ Signed: Robert Singletary__Sunday May 8, 2011__5:20 P.M. (eastern standard time) USA
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Post by sleepboy on May 11, 2011 17:07:51 GMT -8
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Post by saL on May 12, 2011 6:05:00 GMT -8
I hope they don't become the leading world power in the future. I think its a bit late for that... you can only hope they don't get even stronger and more powerful, but Im not seeing that happening either.. |
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Post by lilflyingmonkey on May 16, 2011 1:15:14 GMT -8
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Post by sleepboy on May 17, 2011 9:28:06 GMT -8
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Post by saL on Jun 6, 2011 7:14:46 GMT -8
 Chinese artist Ai Weiwei benefit poster by Chin Tangerine x Invisible IndustriesC. Tangerine, is a 22 years old female student artist, she was the first Hong Kong artist using graffiti art to promote the awareness of Ai Weiwei among the island's population, by spray-painting Ai's image, with the slogan:"Who's afraid of Ai Weiwei", onto street pavement and building wall using a stencil. These actions resulted in Hong Kong police serious crime squad conducting a criminal damage investigation against her, thus turning her into an "inadvertent counterculture icon." On April 23 2011, about 2000 people marched through Hong Kong streets to support Ai Weiwei, many of them carrying placards with images copying Tangerine's graffiti art, with many similar images being spraypainted on building walls, to protest against police heavy handed action. screen printed poster, Edition of 50, 18x24”, $30.00 Poster will go on sale at Invisible-Industries.comMonday June 6th at 11am PST.Proceeds from the sale will go to the artist C. Tangerine for use in the continued campaign of informing the public of artist Ai Weiwei’s detention by the Chinese Government. Please read more info on Weiwei's detention > |
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Post by gildoinc on Jun 22, 2011 8:51:20 GMT -8
Ai was released on bail this morning!
The statement from the government is scary though:
"Beijing police department said Wednesday that Ai Weiwei has been released on bail because of his good attitude in confessing his crimes as well as a chronic disease he suffers from."
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Post by lilflyingmonkey on Jun 22, 2011 12:58:48 GMT -8
Awesome news!
Of course it remains to be seen what legal maneuvering remains, this is absolutely a critical and positive step.
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Post by sleepboy on Jun 29, 2011 19:30:54 GMT -8
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Post by rsingletary on Jun 29, 2011 23:48:38 GMT -8
This link goes to:
" What next for artist Ai Weiwei ? "
Duration: 2 min. 13 seconds.
Added to YouTube on June 23, 2011 by AFP.
_____________________________________________________
Signed: Robert Singletary__Thursday June 30, 2011__3:48 A.M.
(eastern standard time) USA
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Post by rsingletary on Jun 30, 2011 3:39:00 GMT -8
This link goes to:
" Ai Weiwei's Mother Talks about Son's Detention, NTD Exclusive "
Duration: 2 min. 1 second.
Added to YouTube on June 28, 2011 by NTDTV.
NOTE:
I really feel sorry for his Mom because the
entire situation has caused her a lot of pain.
_____________________________________________________
Signed: Robert Singletary__Thursday June 30, 2011__7:39 A.M.
(eastern standard time) USA
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Post by sleepboy on Jul 2, 2011 4:42:08 GMT -8
His photo exhibition at the Asia Society in NY just opened.  |
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Post by rsingletary on Jul 5, 2011 5:05:41 GMT -8
www.danwei.org/2009/06/05/2.jpgThis link goes to: Color photo of Ai Weiwei 2009 in Tianamen Square ( the 20th anniversary of the massacre that took place there ). * On January 11, 2011 the studios of Ai Weiwei were demolished by the Chinese government. He was arrested on April 3, 2011 and finally released on bail after 81 days in prison. NOTE: This is my favorite photo of Ai Weiwei....it's a masterpiece !! __________________________________________________ Signed: Robert Singletary__Tuesday July 5, 2011__9:05 A.M. (eastern standard time) USA
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Post by commandax on Jul 15, 2011 15:14:34 GMT -8
Washington Post: Ai Weiwei's sister gives details of his confinement
Gao said that during his time in jail, Ai was not tortured and was given food and allowed to take his medications regularly. But, she said, the conditions of his detention constituted psychological pressure. “The room light was on 24 hours every day,” she said. “The only furniture in the room was a bed. Except for the bed, there was nothing else in the room, no chair, no desk. They didn’t offer Ai anything— no book, no newspaper, no TV, no radio, not even a piece of paper or a pen.” Gao said the two guards watched him constantly, never speaking; the officers changed shifts every three hours. “They stared at him without ever moving their eyes,” she said, adding that they stood close by even while he used the toilet. “And when he took a shower, they just stood right next to him, even though they were getting totally wet. “Can you imagine the feeling of having four eyes always on you, no matter what you do?” Gao said. “If you lie down and go to sleep, they just stand at the side of the bed and look at you without a blink of the eye. When he had a walk in the room, they also followed him. These measures were designed to destroy people’s minds,” she said.
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Post by sleepboy on Aug 9, 2011 7:17:20 GMT -8
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Post by sleepboy on Aug 11, 2011 16:41:12 GMT -8
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Post by sleepboy on Oct 12, 2011 10:10:13 GMT -8
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Post by sleepboy on Oct 18, 2011 9:19:02 GMT -8
He directed the photo shoot for the cover of the November art issue of W Magazine based on some photos he took in NYC in the 80's during some protests. It will be interesting to see what he says in the interview too.  |
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