Emily Canaday
9/15/11
The saga of Ai Weiwei occasionally runs cold, and followers need wait months to hear the latest of this prominent Chinese liberal. Following his release on bail in July, the controversial artist has been limited to a single interview with outside media sources, besides being prevented from using social networking means like Twitter, his preferre dmethod of contact with the wider world and his many fans. The ‘tax evasion’ accusation by which Chinese police conveniently detained Ai (for 43 days, without allowing him to contact a lawyer or his family) is finally being contested in higher courts by a company owned by the artist. Ai Weiwei’s records of colleagues being interrogated for their connection to him, the continued blocking of his access to the Internet, never mind the realities of internet supervision for the Chinese public, must apparently be resolved in the good old way: The People demanding that their will be heard and lauded by the government they have (at least partially) chosen to protect it. What is the purpose of government if not to do just that?, Weiwei asks through his staunch advocacy of governmental criticism.
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-08-10/world/china.ai.weiwei.remarks_1_dissident-artist-tax-evasion-tweets?_s=PM:WORLD
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