[via YouTube]
The news that Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has been detained by authorities has prompted significant concern here at TED HQ. We had shown a film of him at last month’s conference, an unexpected and courageous statement about his treatment by the government, social change, the power of the web, and his hope for the future of China. The film, which was shown as Ai Weiwei himself watched live over the web in the middle of the night, prompted a huge standing ovation from the TED audience.
TED is a nonpartisan, nonpolitical organization, and we understand the Chinese authorities’ concern at anything which might provoke social unrest. But for anyone who believes in the power of ideas, of human imagination, it is heartbreaking to see one of the world’s great artists shackled in this way. We will be tracking developments carefully. Here is the film.
– Chris Anderson
Pingback: Anime Films » 1001 Chairs for Ai Weiwei proest at San Francisco Chinese Consulate 120
Pingback: Anime Films » 1001 Chairs for Ai Weiwei protest at San Francisco Chinese Consulate 146
Andrew Lowe commented on May 19 2011
I created a poster in support of Ai Weiwei. Please help spread the word. Thank you! http://bit.ly/mAo0ao
Pingback: Ai Weiwei: the person people will need to remember “when they have forgotten” | iconophilia
Fleur Noble commented on May 5 2011
Ted Community- Please sign this petition- and help spread it through your social media networks. http://www.avaaz.org/en/artists_for_ai_weiwei?fp
“World-famous and beloved Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has been “disappeared” by China’s state security forces. Every trace of Ai’s life and art have been erased from the Chinese internet, and his only hope may be a global outcry for his release.
Fearful of the pro-democracy protests sweeping the world, the government has cracked down on hundreds of free-thinking Chinese artists, intellectuals, students and citizens. But across the world, artists and art-lovers have begun to speak out in solidarity with Ai.
Chinese elites love buying contemporary art, and are planning a huge art fair in Beijing. If international galleries and artists withdraw from the fair, they’ll send shockwaves through the regime. Let’s build a massive global wave of support for top gallerists and artists to stop exhibiting in China until Ai Weiwei is freed. We’ll deliver it at the Venice Biennale exhibition soon, and publish the reactions of major galleries and artists. “
Pingback: Ai Weiwei: Can an artist change society? | Private Galleries Tour
commented on Apr 30 2011
at the very least people can write about ai weiwei on their own sites, to add to the pressure to release him.
glipona uys commented on Apr 20 2011
“And theres the beautiful birds nest stadium the centrepiece of the beijing olympics.” There seems to be some disagreement about the extent of AWW’s involvement in this project:
The designers were Herzog & De Meuron Architekten, Arup Sport and CADG, not AWW.
http://www.bearcanada.com/china/aiaiai.html
commented on Apr 19 2011
i agree with steven. Although I absolutely admire Ai’s work, we should not only see things from a westerner’s perspective. I understand that “Freedom of speech” is an important value, but it may not be immediately applicable in China where the society and people are drastically different from the west. We shouldn’t impose our value onto a different and more complicated society like China. China is moving towards a good direction – but like what Ai said at the end of the film – the change shouldn’t be too radical, and it has to be a smooth, gradual process.
Pingback: Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution! : Cars Blog | Everything You should Know about Cars
Pingback: кандела » Arhiv Bloga » Kdo se boji Ai Weiweija?
Pingback: likethat | multi-disciplinary design & art
Pingback: ཁ་བརྡ། | ཨེ་བེ་བེ་དང་རྒྱ་ནག
Lucas Ogasawara commented on Apr 14 2011
hi, from brazil, video made for FOLHA.COM, one of the most read newspapers.
Pingback: Sanat Ajanı » Blog Archive » Çin’e dünyadan tepki yağıyor…
steven niu commented on Apr 12 2011
China is not like the West and will not become like the West. The China society is much more complicated than you guys can imagine. No matter who is in charge in China, all these issues can only be worked out in the same way. How come you guys never understand the core of the problem? Too young, too naive…
CK KC commented on Aug 16 2012
i think china isn’t and couldn’t be ever like the west….
But this a petty excuse for the reality there…
nobody is too young or too naive to understand that this world and everybody who lives on it has it rights….human rights…just the right to be,to breathe,to eat and to sleep….
even if the society in china might be 10 times as complicated as other in the world…
I think that also china has to change….like many other countries in this world!!!!
Pingback: Where is Ai Weiwei? | View on Canadian Art
Pingback: SFMOMA | OPEN SPACE » Blog Archive » Who is Ai Weiwei and Why is He in Jail?
Mark Waldron commented on Apr 9 2011
A must watch, and a must watch what happens here with this situation..!! Come on world, surely we can live in a better place than this..?
Pingback: The voice of art | ArtSpotter