Digital Editions
Newsletters
Subscribe
Digital Editions
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
News

Ai Weiwei praises Germany’s response to refugee crisis

Artist reveals he was only granted full UK visa for Royal Academy show in London while in the air heading to Munich

Javier Pes
11 September 2015
Share

Ai Weiwei, who is in London installing his exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), revealed how he left Beijing to fly to Munich unsure whether the UK government would grant a visa without restrictions to visit Britain. "I had a 27-minute conversation with the British Ambassador [in China] at the airport," he told a packed press conference today (11 September). The power of social media and remonstrations on his behalf to the UK Home Office by the RA among others meant that by the time he landed in Germany a full visa had been granted.

Ai arrived in Munich at the end of July just as thousands of refugees were trying to reach the city, many from Syria. He praised Germany for its response to the crisis. He said he believed the British people too "have very strong compassion" to the plight of "desperate people" and urged its government to do more. He said a global effort was needed for what is a long-term problem.

Ai, whose young son lives in Berlin and where the artist has a studio, said that he hoped to be able to spend time there and in Beijing. He is due to start teaching in the German capital, a three-year appointment at the Berlin University of the Arts.

Recalling his detention by the Chinese authorities, which resulted in the confiscation of his passport and an "unprecedented" tax bill, he said that it was very tough on him, his family and friends. He said that his lawyers are still detained and the [15m yuan, or $2.3m] tax bill is unresolved. Ai also said that he is in almost daily contact with the police by phone and text message. "They say, 'you should do this or consider not doing that,'" he revealed, adding that with one or two exceptions the Chinese authorities have not interfered with his art. 

On a personal level, Ai said that during his detention his son had had nightmares that his father would never be freed. He was looking forward to his son joining him in London later this week, so they could go and play in nearby Green Park. 

Ai's exhibition at the RA, which has been co-organised by Tim Marlow, the RA's artistic director and Adrian Locke, its senior curator, opens on 19 September (until 13 December). Marlow said Ai's fellow academicians are holding a lunch in his honour next week. They are delighted that Ai can open the exhibition that until July it seemed unlikely that he would be able to attend.

News
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Instagram
Bluesky
LinkedIn
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
© The Art Newspaper

Related content

Ai Weiweiinterview
1 September 2020

Ai Weiwei: If you do not question Chinese power, you are complicit with it—that goes for art organisations too

Dissident artist says that European museums in China are betraying their own values

Cristina Ruiz
Artistsnews
23 July 2015

Have passport, will travel: where will Ai Weiwei go?

The Chinese artist-activist is due to visit Berlin, London and Melbourne

Gareth Harris
Exhibitionsnews
4 August 2022

Ai Weiwei to curate exhibition of works created by UK prisoners

The Chinese activist, detained in 2011, has visited prisons across the country

Gareth Harris
Newsarchive
31 May 2011

Anish Kapoor rejects China show in support of Ai Weiwei

He has described the Chinese artist's detention as “barbaric”

Martin Bailey