Tsuktiben Jamir
Ai Weiwei is a well-known Chinese artist and activist born in Beijing on August 28, 1957. He made a name for himself as an artist with his large-scale conceptual art, capital realism, and installation artworks highlighting social involvement and human rights concerns. Ai is known for his unapologetic advocacy for human rights and freedom of speech. He is no stranger to using his platform to speak out against government censorship. As a result, in 2011 he was persecuted, having to spend 81 days in detention by the Chinese authorities.
Courtesy: The Art Newspaper
In the latest collaboration between Ai and Avant Arte, anyone is allowed to join in on the process of creating the project which is titled ‘Middle Finger.’ It all starts with an image of Ai’s hand which is showing the middle finger; anyone can reinsert their own touch of individuality by using this image of Ai’s hand and overlaying it anywhere they choose on Google Maps Street views. It is definitely a cathartic means of collectively standing up against any institution or idea. About this project, Ai told Hyperallergic, “We often forget that we have a middle finger, or even if we know we have a middle finger, we misuse it. I think it’s good to remember that this part of your body can point to something — an institution, or someone that resembles a power — to let them know, and let yourself know, that you exist.” So far, more than 12,000 people from across the globe have joined in on the project and the numbers are steadily growing.
This project originally dates back to a couple of years from 1995-2003, where ‘A Study of Perspective’, another project of Ai’s involved Ai himself photographing his middle finger in a vertical position from famous sites all around the globe. He utilised these images to demonstrate his opposition to the sheep mindset of society and the organisations that spread false culture. Through that endeavour, he made the argument that we have the liberty to give the middle finger to illustrate the value of our own liberties and ideas. This year, the global online art community Avant Arte has resurrected Ai’s ‘Study of Perspective’ on their website under the new name ‘Middle Finger,’ inviting willing participants from all over the world to contribute to the project.
Courtesy: Avant Arte
Opinions on this project may vary, but this is a great way to exercise our freedom of speech and expression as a way to voice out against the authorities and institutions; it enables us to reconsider our allegiances and reframe our attitudes towards many significant societal organisations.
Ai is known for frequently criticising the Chinese government’s policies and violations of human rights through his artwork, which typically covers political and social themes. It is through his provocative and sometimes contentious installations, sculptures, and images that he attained quite an international reputation. Ai has produced a number of memorable pieces throughout the years which include “Forever Bicycles,” a sculpture consisting of thousands of interconnected bicycles, and “Sunflower Seeds,” a massive installation of millions of porcelain sunflower seeds. He is particularly well-known for his work on the “Bird’s Nest” stadium design for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Link to participate:
