"AI CAN'T BE HERE."

IS YOUR

ART PROJECT

ai weiwei is not free. his passport has been taken away by authorities with no clear reason. by silencing him on chinese media, not charging him, nor allowing him to travel, it is easy for his situation to be forgotten by the world.

"he is not in jail, he is not being tortured, so why bother?" they seem to hope the world would think.

it is a light punishment with a serious effect.

it moves the limelight away. so his voice can be dampened. quietened. and hopefully for them, ignored. 

ai weiwei speaks for the voiceless. he speaks for  the artists and the activists. he speaks for the jailed, the exploited and the oppressed.

he could've lived the life with even greater wealth and power had he played ball. but he disowned the bird's nest in protest. brought up the names of dead children in protest. spoke for activists in protest.

#aicantbehere is a grassroot movement to remind them, and ourselves that this cannot be swept under the carpet.

we cannot lose this voice. we must protect ai's freedom to speak, to work and travel.

these photos are all art. they are all political. and they are all protests.

i am giving away free Ai Can't Be Here T-shirt to anyone who posts 20 photos of these four words "AI CAN'T BE HERE" or "爱 CAN'T BE HERE." onto instagram with the hashtag #aicantbehere

20 photos of these words at 20 different places

just email me when you're done.

aicantbehere@gmail.com

my resources are very limited, but i will do my utmost best to deliver.

we cannot move forward knowing one of us is silenced unjustly

free speech is universal, if ai can't be here, i can't be here.

peace and love,

zhao

13.1.2015

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