Ai Weiwei: ‘Nothing scares me anymore—being terrified does not help’ – The Art Newspaper

The Chinese language artist and activist Ai Weiwei continues to be on the coronary heart of main political and world occasions. Born in Beijing in 1957, he’s among the many most well-known artists on the planet, principally as a result of activism that led him to be incarcerated in his native China for months with out cost in 2011. His most well-known works embody the photographic collection Research of Perspective (1995-2017), displaying middle-finger salutes to well-known landmarks, and an unlimited sunflower seed set up at London’s Tate Fashionable in 2010.

Ai has lately unveiled a significant new fee in Kyiv in Ukraine (till 30 November). The one work exhibition—Three Completely Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White—contains three spheres enveloped in camouflaged cloth dotted with photographs of animals. The material types a connective construction throughout the spheres.

The work is “a site-specific response to the escalating armed conflicts threatening the world of in the present day”, in accordance with a press release from Ribbon Worldwide, the non-profit cultural platform that commissioned the set up. In August, Ai travelled to the entrance line of the conflict in japanese Ukraine close to Kharkiv, the place he met Ukrainian fighters and cultural figures. We spoke to Ai forward of his Ukrainian intervention at his studio in rural Portugal.

The Artwork Newspaper: How lengthy have you ever been in Portugal?

Ai Weiwei: In a five-year interval I’ve spent a 12 months and a half right here, possibly a 12 months in Berlin, possibly a 12 months in Cambridge [UK]. The remainder of the time I’m in between. Clearly I’ve been compelled out of my rooted land [China], however I don’t really feel unhappy about it as a result of in case you are on this street, you aren’t on that [other] street. I at all times settle for my state of affairs as a result of my father [the poet Ai Qing] was exiled for 20 years and he’s an ideal instance of how a person can settle for a state of affairs. Collectively we lived on this black gap [an underground dugout in Xinjiang province where Ai and his father lived in forced exile in the 1960s].

Is your mom nonetheless alive?

My mom’s nonetheless alive, she’s 92. I haven’t seen her for ten years, however I’m planning to return to China. I nonetheless have a Chinese language passport. I by no means modified it. I travelled over 300 instances throughout completely different nations with a Chinese language passport, which may be very tough.

However received’t you be arrested?

I don’t see the subsequent step fairly often. I make some huge choices however can not say what is going to come after. I take pleasure in simply making one transfer—a strong transfer.

Inform us about your experiences in Ukraine.

I went to Ukraine to see the [battle] fields and the drones. It’s simply surprising. Standing in the midst of the wheat fields I noticed all these unusual, unusual objects. You see the bomb simply landed within the fields in a suburb of Kyiv. You see [the field] is burnt. That’s a Russian bomb. I attempted to do every thing to grasp this nation—what are they preventing for, who they’re preventing with, and the way they preserve this concept of dignity and defend their nationwide satisfaction. It’s so harsh. I went to the entrance—essentially the most harmful entrance line. Now over 90% of casualties in conflict are carried out by drones; that is fashionable warfare.

[Ai shows an image of an ancient artefact with a piece of shrapnel]. So that is a part of a bomb or a missile. I put it along with a bit of jade, which is from the Han Dynasty. I need to carry this artefact from 2,000 years in the past to witness what occurs to human society in the present day.

Did you additionally plant sunflower seeds in a area in Kharkiv?

Sure, I did. It appears ridiculous. I buried some sunflower seeds and a few buttons there. If you witness a critical act, you don’t at all times realise the which means behind it. I simply assume I’ve to behave out a ceremony; you must discover a approach to handle your feelings since you’re getting too critical.

Did you take pleasure in assembly the Ukrainian individuals?

I like them. They’re very honest. They desperately want individuals to grasp their state of affairs, however on the identical time they actually see you as a pal. All of us want somebody.

I can present you the way [the Ukrainian soldiers] work in a secret basement. They’re looking for the goal. They usually talk with the management centre. You may see the photographs of drones. This can be very harmful because the Russians are utilizing the identical techniques. It’s only a 10 sq. m house.

Have been you frightened in that room?

By no means. Nothing scares me any extra. I believe you need to be scared as a result of it appears when you’re not so scared, fairly often individuals assume you’re not honest. I perceive. However being scared and being honest aren’t on the identical degree. I wished to know what’s actually occurring. How do they kill one another? And I needed to keep within the room; you can not exit as a result of the Russian drones can hit you any second. Being terrified doesn’t assist.

Which works will you present in Ukraine?

I’m doing a piece known as the Sunflower Practice. The trains [in Ukraine] are very spectacular, this Russian-type practice, it’s the primary manner of travelling.So I made a sunflower portray from Lego utilizing Van Gogh’s vocabulary. It’s wrapped [around the train] and on prime there’s a Russian drawing. I’m so blissful Ukrainian individuals need to make the practice. Piece by piece, the work will likely be constructed within the railway stations. Individuals can add issues, making the which means very completely different.

Inside there’s a [reproduction of a] well-known social realism portray by a [Ukrainian-born] Russian painter [Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks by Ilya Repin]. I noticed this portray after I was ten years previous, my father confirmed it to me. That’s why I deeply love the portray. It pertains to the conflict, artwork historical past and my private expertise. [The train will travel to all main stations in Ukraine, except for those in occupied areas].

Three Completely Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White—the centrepiece in Ukraine—is predicated on a prototype you created a number of years in the past entitled Divina Proportione.

These garments [encasing the spheres] seem like army clothes. However they reveals cats. They’re buttoned collectively to make a form and painted white. The exhibition is in Pavilion 13, inbuilt Soviet instances in Kyiv. You may see the constructing is nearly like a Mies van der Rohe constructing.

Is your present in Ukraine a political assertion?

It’s a extremely political assertion about conflict and peace, rationality and irrationality. We have to have peace to ensure the integrity of the individuals. As a result of in any other case it’s not peace. Peace is just not slavery. I don’t know when [the war] goes to complete. It’s a lengthy tunnel. I need the conflict to finish as a result of so many lives have been wasted. Ultimately they [Russia and Ukraine] have to sit down down to speak. No person desires to surrender.

Two years in the past you posted a tweet in regards to the Israel-Hamas conflict that was controversial [he was accused of antisemitism and deleted the tweet]. What do you’re feeling about that state of affairs now?

I did what I ought to. And that sacrifice may be very little in comparison with all the lives misplaced and in comparison with these youngsters who can not speak in regards to the future. They don’t even exist. What I did is nothing. I really feel I’m a little bit bit forward of time. All people would say no matter I mentioned was very conservative. It’s not controversial in any respect.

Afterwards you advised The Artwork Newspaper: “My father suffered unfair remedy and nearly misplaced his life merely due to his perspective. If he’d misplaced his life, I’d not exist. I’ve at all times regarded free expression as the worth most value preventing for.”

Freedom of speech is a necessary component for human beings; we have now one thing in our thoughts and we categorical it. It’s not about proper or incorrect however actually about how honest a person will be and likewise how a lot we are able to belief the environment. So in fact, in lots of locations individuals have realized that freedom of speech brings catastrophe. My father proved that.

Are you unhappy in regards to the more and more authoritarian regime in Hong Kong?

In the intervening time I really feel a way of loss. The individuals we interviewed in Hong Kong, after we made the movie [Cockroach, 2020], they’ve all ended up in jail. I believe it’s one of the best movie about Hong Kong however no movie competition desires to indicate it. We made movies in regards to the pandemic. No movie competition desires to indicate it as a result of China is the largest movie market. China has a long-term technique, it’s taking part in the lengthy recreation.

When The Artwork Newspaper interviewed you in 2020, you have been requested in regards to the presence of European museums in China. You mentioned that Western museums are in China purely for self-development causes. There are nonetheless reportedly 1,000,000 Uyghurs held in camps there—do you discover that imbalance distressing?

I by no means have excessive expectations about [such] museums. The tradition sector within the West is fairly corrupt. If you happen to don’t struggle for reality, how will you present ethical justice—that is loopy.

• Ai Weiwei: Three Completely Proportioned Spheres and Camouflage Uniforms Painted White, Pavilion 13, Expo Middle of Ukraine, Kyiv, till 30 November