Artists plan sit-out to fight for Ai's release
Hong Kong artists and writers will today join their counterparts around the world to demand the immediate release of mainland artist Ai Weiwei by bringing chairs and sitting outside the central government's liaison office.
The event is part of a global protest initiated by curator Steven Holmes to re-enact Ai's project Fairytale 1,001 Qing Dynasty Wooden Chairs. In 2007, at an event in Kassel, Germany, Ai arranged an exhibition of 1,001 Ming and Qing dynasty wooden chairs.
He also recruited 1,001 Chinese citizens through the internet to volunteer to stay in Kassel for the length of the show.
Ai was arrested on April 3 while he was to board a flight to Hong Kong. He is being held at an undisclosed location. Beijing has accused him of economic crimes.
The global protest was planned after Anne Pasternak, the president of Creative Time, posted a question on Facebook asking what the art community could do to fight for Ai's release.
Holmes, an adjunct curator at the Bass Museum of Art in Miami Beach, suggested the use of Ai own work to demand for his release.
Today, artists and writers would bring chairs and sit down outside Chinese government buildings around the world including London, Paris, New York, Toronto and Stockholm at 1pm local time.
It is not clear how many people will take part. Until last night, 82 people had signed up for the event in Hong Kong.
Participants will sit outside the liaison office in Connaught Road West, according to a Facebook group, 1001 Chairs for Ai Weiwei: Hong Kong.
