(UPDATE) - Ai Weiwei, China's Pre-eminent Artist, Still Detained; Still no word.

(Photo Courtesy: Ai Weiwei's Studio)(HN, April 4, 2011) - Since Sunday, family and friends of renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei have heard nothing about his whereabouts.  He was taken from the Beijing airport where he was about to board a plane to Hong Kong for work; from where he planned to travel on to Taiwan to discuss plans for a possible exhibition, an assistant said Monday.

Then his studio was raided, 8 assistants, a nephew and his wife artist Lu Quing were taken into custody but later released;  his computers were confiscated, electricity cut – and since that time neither his family or friends of the artist whom HUMNEWS has been speaking with, have heard anything about his condition. 

Friend and collector Larry Warsh says, “We’re still waiting. We hope to hear something tomorrow.”

In the meantime, both Germany and France have called for the release of Ai, and his detention raises fears among other Chinese activists that Ai, who along with dozens of other activists have been held over a six-week crackdown on dissent will be held indefinitely or charged with false crimes.

On Monday Liu Xiaoyuan, Mr. Ai's lawyer, chastised Chinese media via Twitter saying, “Ai Weiwei has been taken away, and his studio has been searched".  "Whether Ai Weiwei is right or wrong, this is still really big news, a really hot topic. I never thought, never thought, that the domestic media would actually lose the power of speech, and act both deaf and dumb. Sad, really sad."

Ai’s wife, Lu Quing was released along with his staff on Monday afternoon, but Ai himself  remained in custody.

Ai’s father, Ai Qing is one of China's most famous modern poets and has himself been detained by Chinese officials in the past.  In the past few months’s dozens of other Chinese political activists, writers and lawyers have been taken into custody and held without trial and there have been anonymous calls for a "Jasmine Revolution" on the internet since February.   

According to Chinese law, police can hold someone for questioning for 12 hours without allowing him or her to contact anyone. If police formally hold someone for investigation, the general law states they must notify that person's family in 24 hours.

Chinese authorities haven't acknowledged detaining Mr. Ai and all references to Ai seem to have been deleted from internet sites within China, according to HUMNEWS sources in country.

In the meantime, Ai Weiwei’s supporters continue to help his cause by calling for the artist’s immediate release, and by helping to fund the Kickstarter project (HERE) developed to help finish Alison Klayman’s film about his work.  And a recent PBS, `FRONTLINE’ documentary entitled, “Who’s Afraid of Ai Weiwei” can be seen (HERE).  

Mr. Ai’s 12-piece sculpture, “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads,’’ is scheduled to launch May 2^nd in New York City and will be on display through July 15 at 59th Street and Fifth Avenue in front of the Plaza Hotel at the edge of Central Park.

--HUMNEWS staff



(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 )

*********************************************************************************************