Chinas most well known artist, Ai Weiwei was home last night. The brave man looked broken, thin, tired. He was free because he confessed to his 'crimes' of tax evation. The dozens of other artiss that are less well known, less supported by the international artworld remain in detention. The one visit his wife was permitted saw a man confused, mentally conflicted. 81 days in custody is enough to break the spirit of any man. Many question why Ai chose to return from New York to his native country knowing that something like this was inneviteable. Perhaps the motive was a Christlike voluntary arrest to fulfill a prewritten story.
'His detention was political and his release political. It is the result of a huge domestic and international outcry that forced the government to this resolution...I think Beijing realised how damaging it was to hold Chinas' most famous artist in detention'. Nicholas Bequelin.
Our fears and pressure should not stop until Ais 4 associates are released too, Wen Tao, Zhang Jinsong, Hu Mingfen and Liu Zhenggang.
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