Virtual Tech Defeats Artist Ban

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The Chinese government doesn’t like what the visual puns of contemporary artist Ai Weiwei’s sculptures say about Chinese society so they harass him in every way short of actual martyrdom.




Art is all about creativity and a very creative method has been executed to set up Weiwei’s latest major exhibition outside of China. Invited to present his art in the Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, England, he was thwarted by Chinese officials imposing a travel ban on the artist. This should have nixed the extremely site–specific exhibition, which even included new works created to fit the space, like a carpet featuring a bloody tank tread “footprint” for the Grand Hall.



Many of the artworks would have been impossible to properly set up without the artist’s on–site direction. But this is 2014, and internet technology is making the petty dictates of anonymous petty bureaucrats harder and harder to enforce. A 3D virtual map of every prospective presentation area of Blenheim Palace was created and transmitted to Weiwei in China, who was then able to direct the installation of his artworks, including the pile of 2,300 delicate porcelain crabs, remotely, with relative ease.


Better luck next time, faceless retro bureaucrats.













Your Thoughts







  1. Would you go to jail for your art?




  2. When art crosses over into political or profane speech which is prohibited in a particular country is it enough to censor distribution of the art or should the artist also be punished?




  3. If the Internet and digital tools allow art to be built and then distributed elsewhere even when censored in a particular place for political or religious reasons, how close are we coming to John Lennon’s “Imagine” in reality?




  4. Are the rights of artists and the rights of free expression really basic rights?




  5. Are there ever valid reasons for censorship that you as an artist would choose to respect?









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Firozart's avatar
Firozart
Art is an ideal, an expression of the soul. In that sense an engineer, architect, scientists and artists are the same.

1. I dont mind going to jail, if my ideals serve the betterment of humanity and our children. That would be a small price to pay for a brighter future.

2. As long as there are politicans and nations that divide, there always will be restrictions and punishments. As long as one man values his viewpoints higher than the other, there always will be judgment. As long as long such conditions exists this will be norm. Basically it is wrong, but the first question is kind of addressing this part.

3. Not close at all. Because freedom is being suppressed and we have to look for other ways to express it. Imagine the horror that your own country man despise you and you have to find solitude in cyberspace. Basically still trapped by society.

4. No. As mentioned by me on question 2. See above. Freedom of speech is hard work, it takes time and effort to make sure that all voices are heard equally. In order to achieve that we must fundamentally change our education system. Instead of going from the idea the winners know better, one must throw away a competition based schooling system. Why you ask? Simple we are being thought to judge for superficial reasons such as a grade.

5. Yes. If it causes more harm than joy. For instance looking at our music entertainment today, it has become meaningless, and thrives on idocracy, instant gratification and immorality. Our youth has become superficial and fake. Such things must be censored and guided properly. As long as art is in it for money and personal gain, it must be overseen.