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Lyrics of fury - Ai Weiwei's blog texts published as a book

Ai Weiwei: at large, but under house arrest

Lyrics of fury

Ai Weiwei's blog texts published as a book

The Skeleton blog and Twitter messages from the jailed Chinese human rights activist and artist Ai Weiwei be published as a book: "Do no illusions about myself." Actor Ai Weiwei make on the book tour "through the country roads" have their say. With it. Margarita Broich, Martina Gedeck, Gottfried John, Eva Mattes, Hans-Michael Rehberg and Ulrich Noethen "Come visit me again, I will not cooperate," said Ai Weiwei, is for example on 28 May 2009. "If you must come, bring your instruments of torture." Elsewhere he wrote: "True power does not mean that life will end, but that one must live a strange life." The blog features the opinion of the publisher Wolfgang horns Galiani-Verlag Berlin to how Ai Weiwei's anger increases increasingly on the Chinese government. "These texts give back one incapacitated and silenced his voice citizens."

China's courageous artist

Ai Weiwei criticizing on his blog the government

"Citizens of China's: mixed you one in the internal affairs of your country!" That's the message from Ai Weiwei. Probably the most influential artists of modern China has discovered a new medium for itself: He is active as a blogger. In his diary on the Internet, he writes down what makes him tick. And that is read by tens of thousands of Chinese.

"The result of this work is very satisfying," said Ai Weiwei. "I keep young people meet at the bus stop, tell me: 'Wei Wei, we read your blog every day,' Many people say:. 'When we wake in the morning, we turn first to the computer to read your entries '."

The Internet as a platform for criticism

Over time, Ai Weiwei has a small counter-power developed into a cult figure. In China, there is no press freedom. The Internet is a forum for artists to criticize. He openly identifies human rights violations - in Uiguria, Tibet, Sezhuan where the devastating 2008 earthquake occurred. 4000 cheap-built schools collapsed. The building next door were often available. Ai Weiwei and his aides have accused the authorities to conceal the exact number of victims. Now the artist is to search a list of the victims and to publish one by one. A difficult and dangerous action - but it is important to fight for basic civil rights in China.

Is the artist, the political Aktvismus now closer than the art? "By doing exactly what I think is necessary, I can change the lives of others, the majority in the country, touching," said Ai Weiwei. "Want to influence your ideas, what kind of society we live in, under what basic conditions. This is extremely important and ultimately nothing more than a work of art." Ai Weiwei, the artful provocateur asked his fellow citizens on no uncertain terms to express their opinions. Long he was the art star of the censorship of the government hardly affected. Now, his website was blocked several times by the authorities.

"No truth can be spoken directly"

But as soon as he could, Wei Wei reported back. In one of five self-portraits on his website he keeps a stuffed animal in front of her naked body and makes leaps in the air. "It was fun," he says. "But of course, is one such fun and the whole society in question. Because in this society nothing is naked. Everything is covered in several layers. No truth can be spoken directly. The authorities believe the people should never know about all the facts about it. "

Nude was Ai Weiwei already in the 1980s in one of his early works before the twin towers of the World Trade Center. At that time he lived in New York. Back in China, you could always read his work critically. The change in society, dealing with values and traditions to accompany his work. Famous for his contribution to Documenta 2007: He took a 1001 Chinese to Kassel and quartered them in the exhibition. A work of art - and an invitation to the Chinese people to participate.

A bird's nest as Olympic Stadium: These poetic idea came from Ai Weiwei, who has developed with the architects Herzog and de Meuron, the shape of the stadium. And yet he distanced himself from this representation of building because it finds no liberal development in China. "This government is moving now in a completely opposite direction," says the artist. "That's why I see my contribution is to show people what can reach an individual, the individual. To interfere, is the most important thing for a civil society." The public figure Ai Weiwei enjoys huge international attention. The artist uses them, uses his whole person - and thus became a symbol of hope for a fresh start in the new China.

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