Ai Weiwei at Haus der Kunst, 2009. Photo by Joerg Koopmann.
Haus der Kunst
Ai Weiwei: Art, dissidence and resistance
Panel discussion in English
Wednesday, 27 July 2011, 7 p.m.
Haus der Kunst
Prinzregentenstrasse 1
D-80538 Munich
T +49 (0)89 21127-113
F +49 (0)89 21127-157
mail@hausderkunst.de
Opening hours
Mon-Sun 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Thu 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
www.hausderkunst.de
With Flora Sapio, Julius-Maximilians-University Würzburg,
Hou Hanru, San Francisco Art Institute,
Gao Minglu, University of Pittsburgh,
Shi Ming, Deutsche Welle TV, and
Ulrich Wilmes, Chief curator Haus der Kunst
Moderation: Okwui Enwezor, designated Director Haus der Kunst
While China's ministry of foreign affairs complains, that foreign news reports lack respect for the sovereignty of the Chinese judiciary, western countries want trials to meet the requirements of constitutional standards. Is it possible to build a bridge that overcomes such different positions? The panel will discuss the Ai Weiwei case as part of a comprehensive geopolitical development. Is the western art system, with its demand for universal freedom of speech, its international protests, calls on politicians and petitions asking for the release of defiant artists, a credible system? Did it not enter into a complicity with autocratic political systems years ago? And do events, such as the Sharjah Biennale, signify our silent tolerance of despotic rulers? Ai Weiwei was released on June 22, 2011. But even so, the time might have come to rethink our political and diplomatic channels of communication.
Flora Sapio is Assistant Professor at the University Würzburg. Her focus is on Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure Law, Human Rights, and Philosophy of Law.
Hou Hanru studied art history in Beijing. He teaches at the San Francisco Art Institute, curated the 10th International Istanbul Biennial in 2007 and publishes articles in art magazines, including Flash Art International and Art Monthly.
Gao Minglu studied art history in Beijing and Cambridge. In 1998 he curated the first comprehensive exhibition of contemporary art in North America ("Inside/Out: New Chinese Art"), and he is a professor for art and architectural history at the University of Pittsburgh.
Shi Ming studied law, and German literature and language in Beijing. He initially worked as a journalist for Radio China International and since 2002 he has been on the China editorial staff at Deutsche Welle.
Information and reservation (until 22 July) at T. +49 89 21127-113,
events@hausderkunst.de
Kindly supported by
Kulturreferat der Landeshauptstadt München
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, and
Museum Villa Stuck
