Ai Weiwei emphasizes freedom of speech after criticism of the Gaza war
Following a controversial social media post on the Gaza war, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has defended what he considers to be unrestricted freedom of speech for artists. "I don't draw a line," said Ai Weiwei at a vernissage in Munich on Thursday evening. "I want to be criticized."
The Lisson Gallery in London had stopped a planned exhibition on Ai Weiwei this week after heavy criticism of the artist's statement. According to reports from British media and others, Ai Weiwei had made comments about the financial, cultural and media influence of the "Jewish community" in a tweet on the social media platform X, which has since been deleted.
When asked whether he would post the tweet again, the artist, who lives in Europe, told the German Press Agency at the event: "I am a different person today than I was yesterday." The 66-year-old also said: "What should I regret?" In the interview, he had previously emphasized that the freedom of the artist does not mean that he is right. "I could be wrong. I have the freedom to be wrong."
The reason for the vernissage at the Lenbachhaus Museum in Munich was a special edition of the "Süddeutsche Zeitung" magazine ("Edition 46") featuring Ai Weiwei's art, which was published on Thursday evening. The SZ magazine also conducted an interview with the Chinese artist about his own history of persecution, among other things. According to the interviewer, the interview took place in August.
Despite the controversies surrounding his comments about the "Jewish community," Ai Weiwei continues to advocate for Art as a space for expressing unfiltered thoughts and perspectives, even in the midst of Middle East conflicts. His stance on free speech has been challenged, echoing the complexities and conflicts found in the artistic landscape of the Middle East, where freedom of expression can often be a point of contention.
Source: www.dpa.com
