below Artist and dissident
Ai Weiwei’s piece called
S.A.C.R.E.D. – an installation
that gives viewers a very
literal look at his experience
in solitary detention
right Controversial Chinese
artist Ai Weiwei during his
visit to a makeshift refugee
camp in northern GreeceIMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCK
Likewise, artists are watchdogs who work to help
“uphold human dignity”. In his native Korean, in an
email interview, Hong explains: “Artists are people who
tell the world about the preciousness of Nature and life.
I have an obligation to communicate through art all the
conspiracies to destroy human dignity and Nature.”
Artists Zunar and Hong are among Asia’s “rabbit
watchdogs” who have, metaphorically, found it hard to
breathe at times. In some Asian countries, it can be a
luxury for artists to have the unrestricted space and
freedom to express their inner vision and views.
Shr ink ing civ ic space
Amnesty International’s latest annual report warns
of a “shrinking civic space” in the Asia-Pacific region,
with governments “choking dissent” and cracking
down on citizen rights. Artists expressing ideas with
a razor-sharp political edge may have to wrestle with
authoritarian governments. China’s most famous
dissident is the artist Ai Weiwei. He has previously said
that the Chinese government was “afraid of freedom”
and that “art is about freedom”. Ai has been in and out
of prison for challenging the government on human
rights abuses and corruption.IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCKcover story