Ai Weiwei checking Twitter reactions, via Louisa Lim
You’ve heard by now, but Ai Weiwei did something yesterday. And while most reactions to Dumbass, his foul-mouthed song about his 81 days in prison, were predictably enthusiastic, there’s a segment of commentators who believe Ai Weiwei is overexposed, and have reacted with what amounts to a protracted and very loud sigh.
We’ve sampled some reactions on Twitter below. For the really harsh comments, click on the link above and scroll down to see what our readers have said.
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He is overexposed as fuck. I don’t claim to be a critic of modern art, so I offer no opinion as to whether or not he’s any good; I don’t know him personally, so I won’t say if there’s much intelligence or substance behind his outspokenness (although the guts he showed in pursuing the truth about the Beichuan earthquake deaths despite the consequences and before he was quite such a media darling suggests he’s for real); really, I blame the Western Media for being lazy. They seem to view him as a reliable source of critical quotes on just about anything, regardless of how tangential his connection to a subject may be. I can understand why they’d be enthusiastic about someone who’ll say anything in a country where attempts to get a quote often end up with “a man who refused to identify himself at xxxxxx said he knew nothing about xxxxx,” but it’s definitely starting to feel lazy.
There’s actually a fair amount of Ai Weiwei works I actually like, and I listen to crap he says, but only when that crap actually retains to the direction of art and design in China.
I hate how western media is making him out to be some great freedom fighter. In the 80′s and early 90′s it was pretty standard for Chinese artists to get their asses hauled off to jail for a year or two. Especially if they came in the nude bondage public performance art category.
I’m a little sadden this might kill the legitimacy of Chinese rock. Also Yoko Ono moment where all her fans group together to defend her ‘avant garde’ singing. Yoko Ono is a great artist guys, not just John’s wife but a great artist in her own right, but a singer she is not.
This will not “kill the legitimacy of Chinese rock.” Ai Weiwei has admitted in the past that he never listen to music! The only time he sang, it was to take the piss out of the “Bo Xilai Song”. Things like this, “Caonima style”, his haircuts, just don’t make sense if you take him as a “classic” serious artist, or compare it to Yoko Ono. Watch his documentary San Hua on cat trafficking, or the video of his installation on the Hoher Dachstein, and you will see that he’s a guy who knows the difference between poetic and comic approaches to reality.
Sadly, most people’s exposure to Chinese rock will begin (and end) with this song without any knowledge of the context you’ve put forward.
yeah, that’s possible. but keep up the good work
Thanks, bud!
Fat fuck scamming prick who gets kick backs for shit art, to open is fat gob for western governments.
Wow someone’s panties are in a bunch. I wonder why you care so much? Boo hoo hoo.