(REPORT) Noted Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Detained at Beijing Airport, Studio Raided

PHOTO CREDIT: Gao Yuan

(HN, 3/3/11) -- Ai Weiwei, China’s best-known artist, was detained at Beijing Capital Airport as police raided his studio and interrogated his wife Lu Quing on Sunday April 3.

Ai, 53, has been one of the most outspoken critics of the communist regime in Beijing and has become increasingly active in China’s human rights movement in recent years. Although he has experienced official harassment, he seemed to be relatively protected by the status of his late father, a renowned poet, and his high international profile; he is well known as the artistic consultant of the Olympic Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing and last year he created the Sunflower Seeds installation for the Tate Modern in London.

Ai was due to fly to Hong Kong for business, but was detained at immigration. An officer told his assistant who was with him that the artist had “other business” and could not board.

His current whereabouts are unknown and his mobile phone has been turned off.  All Ai Weiwei-related posts and messages have been systematically deleted from the popular microblog Sina Weibo.

Larry Warsh, a friend and collector or Ai’s work says “We are deeply concerned about his safety – we are all outraged by this disgraceful behavior, that this can happen in a city full of Armani and Porches. It is very tragic that the Chinese government doesn’t understand that Ai WeiWei is one of their greatest treasures.” 

Ali’s detention comes amid a wide crackdown on activists and dissidents in China that human rights campaigners describe as the worst in more than 10 years.

Officials had visited Ali’s studio in the past – three times in the past week, saying they wanted to check on the staff there – especially foreigners to ensure they were registered correctly. Ali did not appear to have any particular concerns before his detention.

It is unclear why these events have unfolded, but they happen on the heels of Ai’s recent announcement that he will open a 16,000 square foot studio complex in Berlin April 29 of this year.

Ai Weiwei said he needed the Berlin studio because of his increasing work in Germany and other European countries. He told German press agency dpa he hoped to spend "as little time as possible" in Europe. "However, there will be no choice if my work and life are somehow threatened."

Ai has not been able to exhibit his work in his home country and in February political pressure led him to cancel his fist solo exhibition. His newly built studio in Shanghai was demolished.

"It is true that the possibility for artistic expression is very small in China," Ai has said.

As of now family and friends continue to await word of Ai’s situation and have had no news of his condition.  A film about Ai’s life `Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry'  is currently in production by producer Alison Klayman; and the film and his work are scheduled to be seen in New York City later this summer in a series of public `ZODIAC’ sculptures.

-        HUMNEWS

FOLLOW @AWWNEVERSORRY AND @AIWW FOR THE LATEST TWEETS:

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. @b9AcE Staying on Twitter as our main mode of communication, also posting to facebook.

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. RT @FrontlineWRLD: "Beijing is in the midst of what I call the Big Chill...the most intense crackdown on expression in years." @eosnos

duyanpili 独眼霹雳 by AWWNeverSorry. @aiww. 人路青于半小时之前被警察送回草场地258号，小胖，徐烨也将送回。警察交给她详细扣押清单，工作室有一百多项东西被扣押走，包括硬盘，主机，笔记本、光碟等等。警方未向她透露任何关于艾未未的消息，只让她在家等消息。

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. Xuye and Xiaopang expected to be released. Police confiscated 100s of electronic devices. No new news about Ai Weiwei (via @duyanpili)

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. http://bit.ly/es7K13 Great feed from Hyperallergic. We can also confirm that Ai Weiwei's wife Lu Qing returned home from the station.

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film.  Just moment ago, four police officers came back to the studio, haven't left yet @duyanpili: 刚才，又有四个警察进入被搜查过的@aiww 工作室，还没有离开。”

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. 看到3月31日未未和导演陈爱丽的推—— @aiww: 嗯，我努力吧 @aliklay: @aiww 我希望你平平安安的

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. 请你告诉我——今夜究竟谁在害怕艾未未？ Who is afraid of Ai Weiwei tonight? bit.ly/gActiQ

AWWNeverSorry Ai Weiwei Film. approximately 30 computers taken away from ai's studio after a 6-hr police search (via @duyanpili )

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