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| Ai Weiwei shuts Danish show in protest at asylum seeker law | Ai Weiwei shuts Danish show in protest at asylum seeker law |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has closed down his exhibition in Copenhagen, out of protest against a new law that allows Danish authorities to seize valuables from asylum seekers. | The Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei has closed down his exhibition in Copenhagen, out of protest against a new law that allows Danish authorities to seize valuables from asylum seekers. |
| Related: Danish parliament approves plan to seize assets from refugees | Related: Danish parliament approves plan to seize assets from refugees |
| “Ai Weiwei has decided to close his exhibition, Ruptures, at Faurschou Foundation Copenhagen, Denmark. This decision follows the Danish parliament’s approval of the law proposal that allows seizing valuables and delaying family reunions for asylum seekers,” a post on his official Instagram and Facebook accounts reads. The exhibition opened in March 2015 and had been due to close in mid-April 2016. | “Ai Weiwei has decided to close his exhibition, Ruptures, at Faurschou Foundation Copenhagen, Denmark. This decision follows the Danish parliament’s approval of the law proposal that allows seizing valuables and delaying family reunions for asylum seekers,” a post on his official Instagram and Facebook accounts reads. The exhibition opened in March 2015 and had been due to close in mid-April 2016. |
| Jens Faurschou, owner of the Faurschou Foundation in Copenhagen, told the Guardian: “When I woke up today I did not expect to get that call, but I was not surprised by his [Ai’s] reaction. He called from a beach in Lesbos, where he is working, doing a documentary about refugees in the Middle East. | |
| “He had been watching the news during the night and wanted to react. I didn’t try to dissuade him. This is not so much about which country does more or less for refugees, it is the symbolic importance of the new law. This [kind of thing] is spreading over Europe, and we in Denmark are taking the lead in this by making this law.” | |
| Denmark’s parliament on Tuesday adopted reforms aimed at dissuading migrants from seeking asylum by delaying family reunifications and allowing authorities to confiscate migrants’ valuables. | Denmark’s parliament on Tuesday adopted reforms aimed at dissuading migrants from seeking asylum by delaying family reunifications and allowing authorities to confiscate migrants’ valuables. |
| The law has provoked international outrage, with many rights activists criticising the delay for family reunifications as a breach of international conventions. | The law has provoked international outrage, with many rights activists criticising the delay for family reunifications as a breach of international conventions. |
| “From Ai Weiwei’s side the important thing is to get a debate and to use his voice,” said Faurschou. “He is becoming a European; he is taking part in what goes on here. He did that in China. People would say he has no influence, but when he focused on the scandal of the earthquake in 2008, today China is doing something about corruption. He has a voice and he uses it. I really admire him for that.” | |
| Related: Denmark’s selfish stance does nothing to help the global refugee crisis | Michala Bendixen | Related: Denmark’s selfish stance does nothing to help the global refugee crisis | Michala Bendixen |
| China’s most prominent contemporary artist, Ai helped design the Bird’s Nest stadium for the Beijing Olympics and has been exhibited around the globe, but his works have often irked China’s authorities. | China’s most prominent contemporary artist, Ai helped design the Bird’s Nest stadium for the Beijing Olympics and has been exhibited around the globe, but his works have often irked China’s authorities. |
| He was detained in 2011 for 81 days over his advocacy of democracy and human rights as well as other criticisms of the government in Beijing. Following the detention, he was placed under house arrest and his passport taken away. The document was only returned last July, enabling him to travel overseas. | He was detained in 2011 for 81 days over his advocacy of democracy and human rights as well as other criticisms of the government in Beijing. Following the detention, he was placed under house arrest and his passport taken away. The document was only returned last July, enabling him to travel overseas. |
| Ai’s show in Copenhagen includes some of his most important work, including Sunflower Seeds, made from 100m handmade porcelain sunflower seeds. The show also featured several of the artist’s sculptures made of wood from Buddhist temples torn down during China’s Cultural Revolution. | Ai’s show in Copenhagen includes some of his most important work, including Sunflower Seeds, made from 100m handmade porcelain sunflower seeds. The show also featured several of the artist’s sculptures made of wood from Buddhist temples torn down during China’s Cultural Revolution. |
| Earlier this month, the 58-year-old announced plans to create a memorial to the plight of refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, after meeting some of the many migrants there who risked their lives to reach Europe. | Earlier this month, the 58-year-old announced plans to create a memorial to the plight of refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, after meeting some of the many migrants there who risked their lives to reach Europe. |
| Agence France-Presse contributed to this report |