Ai Weiwei 'Intensively Dedicating Himself to His Artistic Creation'
The New York Times reports that recently freed Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei — whose New York photos are currently on display at Asia Society Museum — is reportedly back at work. Swiss gallery owner Urs Meile told the paper that he visited Ai from June 30 to July 3 and that the artist was in good health.
"The detention could not break his incomparable presence and vigor, his humor and his alertness!" Meile wrote. "He is full of energy and again intensively dedicating himself to his artistic creation." Meile added that Ai "is able to work without interruption, to make plans and to realize projects together with his team."
The Slatest blog ponders what projects the controversial artist is working on, given his strict bail conditions.
It's likely he is not picking up where he left off. According to a Danish report, before his detainment in early April, Ai was working on a project related to a highly sensitive issue:
The internationally renowned artist and activist intended to uncover one of the Chinese regime's most notorious and the most obscure attempts to manipulate public opinion: the use of a host of commentators on the Internet who, while pretending to be ordinary citizens, actually acted as paid mouthpieces for the regime. "This is an attempt from the Communist Party to falsify the voice of the people and give the impression that it enjoys a true public support," Ai Weiwei said in an interview with Information.
Read more about China's "50 Cent Party" of paid internet commenters here.
So, what do you think Ai Weiwei's next move should be?
For more Asia Society coverage of Ai Weiwei, click here.
Now on display at Asia Society Museum: Ai Weiwei: New York Photographs 1983-1993