Refugees

Ai Weiwei turns in Idomeni a movie

The refugee situation in the Greek place Idomeni has the world. Now the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was there. In an interview with Deutsche Welle, he explained his commitment on the spot.

Ai Weiwei can make himself inconspicuous. With his dark blue clothes and the baseball cap, he stands out on Friday hardly any of the numerous journalists in the refugee camp of Idomeni. He is throughout the day with a Team of employees there.

“Idomeni goes for all of us”

Why he committed to the cause of refugees? Why not, Weiwei responds to the Ai. When millions of people come to Greece and Europe and here in Idomeni “under such conditions, are stuck, then it is up to you in General”. The border closure was “not fair to people who have fled a war.” Of course, all know that the border will not be opened, but nevertheless, hope the people in the refugee camp. “Do you think that Europe still respects its own values.” Ai Weiwei finds the Whole thing “shameful”. The people have Fears and wounds from the Wars in her home country: “These wounds are bleeding care still here in Europe and none of them really matter.”

With the issue of the refugees, he had been more likely to face random. Last year he had made with his children on a Greek island holiday. More spontaneously, he said, “throw, let us have a look on the nearby Lesvos”. We drove the coastal roads of the island, the sun was shining, the weather was beautiful, the sea is blue. Suddenly they saw in front of a boat heading to the coast and people on the beach and jump out. He stopped and saw “these sad people, women, and children. This is a Moment I cannot forget.”

Ai WeiWei documented with his camera team with a lot of sad stories in the refugee camp

A question of art?

At the time of Ai Weiwei in search of a Studio. Spontaneously, he decided: “If I need a Studio, then it’s supposed to be here.” He is someone who can only have if he has seen something and know. The workshop on Lesvos since the beginning of the year. He is very often there. Ai Weiwei confirmed that he had still the intention of Lesvos
To build a memorial for the drowned refugees. It should remind you of the thousands of dead people “who were Victims in search of freedom and peace”.

In Idomeni, the Chinese artist turns his staff to a movie. It was exploring both a catch position, as well as an attempt to find a “language” to tell about humanity and human rights. It will be a complicated matter, he assured. Above all, people will tell their story and also Central to Ai Weiwei’s art actions are involved. During his first visit to Idomeni in the past week, he found a white Grand piano in the mud, and a young Syrian girl played under a tarp in the rain piano.

Ai WeiWei wants to do with his actions on the situation in Idomeni attention

This Thursday, he was one of the hairdressers among the refugees a hair cut. He had already needed a hair cut, but at the same time, the Cut in this place “is symbolic”. There are not a few such actions, or the Installation with the
Swimming the West of refugees to the columns of the concert house at the Gendarmenmarkt in Berlin, to criticize. But the fact is that we live in a world of images. Ai Weiwei manages to evoke with his images attention. Some would say, “to grab”, but Ai Weiwei speaks of “symbolism”.