Interviewer: Do you ever examine yourself to say, ‘why are you so fearless, compared to other people?’
AW: [laughing] I am so fearful! That’s not fearless. I am more fearful than other people, maybe. That’s why I act more brave: because I know the danger is really there. If you don’t act, the danger becomes stronger.
Tagged: Ai Weiwei, archival practice, Art, Beijing, democracy, fear, internet, justice, memory, story-telling
In 2007, for his invited exhibition at the art fair, Documenta 12 in Kassel, Germany, Chinese artist, Ai Weiwei did a strange thing. He put out a call on his blog (which was shut down in 2009 by Chinese authorities) asking for 1001 Chinese people to accompany him to the art fair in Kassel. When I was invited by Documenta, I didn’t want to do a conventional work like painting or sculpture, but rather do a work which directly relates to the real lives of ordinary people… Then the idea came to bring 1,001 Chinese people to view the exhibition as audience, and create a work of itself. The basic concept behind the work is to create a condition which encourages self experience and extends people’s participation…
