Ai Weiwei: dissident gets no Lego bricks – ZEIT ONLINE

For an exhibition Ai Weiwei wanted to order a big load of Lego bricks. But the Danish company refused – to support any political art.

The artist criticized the rejection of Lego sharp. © Alex B. Huckle, Getty Images

As part of the exhibition Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei wanted to pick up on the limits of freedom of expression with a focus on China, the Chinese activist again. For the implementation of its work of art Ai Weiwei wrote to Lego and asked for a supply of colored bricks.

This support was but the artist refused. The “use of Lego for political work” can not be permitted, citing the Süddeutsche Zeitung of a letter from the company. But according to the British television channel BBC that’s no problem, since turned after the cancellation of the Danish company individuals with Legostein donations to the artists.

Ai Weiwei responded to Twitter criticism to the decision of the toy manufacturer. He suspects that the cancellation of a safeguard business interests in China. The company plans to build a theme park in Shanghai in the near future.

https://twitter.com/aiww/status/658181032634552320?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

Ai

Weiwei’s conflict through his works on the subject of freedom of expression in the past with the Chinese government. After he was imprisoned for many years, the dissidents fled into exile. In the past he had used in his artworks Lego bricks. About last year: On the grounds of Alcatraz Prison ‘near San Francisco, the artist had recreated the faces of 175 dissidents from Lego – Edward Snowden and Nelson Mandela were among them.