In an Interview with the “world” criticized the artist and the political activist, the social climate in Germany. Even the Berlinale hofiere China.
Ai Weiwei is the world’s most famous living artist from China. In Germany, he is regarded, at least since Documenta 12 in wide circles high. Then, in 2007, he brought his art project “Fairytale” 1000 mostly younger Chinese people to Kassel, together with it yourself 1001 people came. Previously, 1001 antique wooden chairs from China had arrived in Kassel, the Ai had distributed in clumps and clusters throughout the city. The art of fairy tales – the most expensive of the Documenta project was perfect.
Since then, the Germans love him. The German media reported in detail, as he disappeared in 2011 for three months and nobody knew where to him, the Chinese had a secret and deported to the police. As he was released in the early summer of that year, again, kept the Berlin University of the arts offer a temporary visiting professorship for him.
“Fairytale” – The artist with his Chinese guests at the Documenta XII
Was able to take up Ai Weiwei until four years later when he was allowed to 2015 to leave the country. Since then, he lives with his young son and his mother in Berlin. He works with his staff in a large Studio, which is located in the catacombs of a former brewery in chic, gentrified district of Prenzlauer Berg. His friend and colleague, the Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, is its direct neighbor.
“Germany is not an open society”
Now, while in the düsseldorf Kunsthaus K20/21 the most recent and most comprehensive of the three Mega-exhibitions in Germany – after the “So Sorry” in Haus der Kunst in Munich and “Evidence” in Berlin’s Martin-Gropius-Bau – has attracted the artist through an Interview with the daily newspaper “The world” a lot of attention: He wanted to leave Germany. “This country doesn’t need me.” Almost all of the major German media reports about this “settlement”, in which he announced the reasons for his early departure.
That the artist wants to leave Germany and not far from New York city to a suitable place to Stay in the U.S. state of New Jersey has looked around, has been known for months. Made headlines for his criticism of the country that had received him with open arms. “Germany is not an open society,” says Ai at the beginning of the conversation. “There is little room for open debates, is hardly respect for dissenting voices.”
Always in the centre of the media: Ai Weiwei at the press conference for his exhibition in düsseldorf
“China dictated the terms and conditions”
Self-centered and give priority to the protection of the own society, considered to be Germany. But above all, criticized Ai the German politics, economy and culture, the moment of silence to serious violations of human rights and not bending to strain the relations with their main trading partners to Weiwei. China dictate the terms on productivity and profits.
Chinese money is put, for example, in the film production. Even the Berlin film festival bow of this Power and influence. The Berlinale had rejected in the February Ais episodes-contribution to the currently in German cinemas starting ends of the Film “Berlin, I Love You” and his documentary “The Rest” about refugees in Europe, the delivery later on to other prestigious Festivals, not shown. Also, the Film “I Can’t Remember” documentary filmmaker and writer Zhou Qing about the Chinese cultural revolution had not been accepted because of the Chinese censorship under the throw.
The author and documentary filmmaker Zhou Qing
The accusation: the Berlin film festival to bow to censorship
Zhou, who lives like Ai in Berlin and with him is a friend, confirms this impression: “13 Chinese films were shown to 2019 at the Berlinale, and all of the ‘dragon seal’ of the Chinese censorship authorities had,” he told DW. As the world-famous, the Beijing Regime is actually close to the Director Yimou Zhang and his Film “A second” for inexplicable reasons, had to withdraw, we were shown the old authorities flattering monumental epic “Hero”. Ai Weiwei was not a part of what is generally known, together with Zhang Yimou and the film’s Director and writer Chen Kaige to the first generation of Students after the cultural revolution, the Beijing film Academy.
Whether in his movies such as “Human Flow” or in his art, Ai Weiwei has been a priority issue, to see in the context of his Remarks are: people on the run. Also he was without a home, after him, China had rejected. In Berlin, he had been repeatedly discriminated against, this is also a reason for his imminent departure. “I am a refugee.”
Refugees on the border between Jordan and Syria, film still from Ai Weiwei’s Film “Human Flow” of 2017
For a critical communication
And the controversial Ai was engaged Weiwei has always been. Whether in China, where he fought against corruption and human rights violations, or in Germany, he kept his opinion behind the mountain. Only days after his arrival 2015 he led to an open confrontation with the weekly newspaper “die Zeit” and “süddeutsche Zeitung”, which had him supposedly to have out of fear of his departure made concessions. Even then, out out properly in the German forest of leaves.
“I’m an artist. Communication is important to the other side to make my work understandable,” said Ai, who at the same time, the “süddeutsche”. With his critical Interview he has Thought again – and discussion-provoking given.