This is the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, holding "sunflower seeds" that are part of his art installation in London. Ai Wei Wei is also a political and social activist, and recently, he was detained by Chinese authorities - at the time of this writing, he hasn't been released. Do you think artists have a responsibility to express their opinions on public matters, or should they just concentrate on their art? Do governments have the right to detain people who criticize them, or should speech always be free? Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Journal Question #30 (2010-2011)
This is the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei, holding "sunflower seeds" that are part of his art installation in London. Ai Wei Wei is also a political and social activist, and recently, he was detained by Chinese authorities - at the time of this writing, he hasn't been released. Do you think artists have a responsibility to express their opinions on public matters, or should they just concentrate on their art? Do governments have the right to detain people who criticize them, or should speech always be free? Let me know what you think.
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In my opinion artist have some part of responsibility to do the speech, but due to political safety reason, an artist can't to make some speech in the some special situation. But I think a good government should allow people to do the free speech and free speech could make a country power to be better, so I think government should allow people to do the free speech. But it is hard to the free speech,because politicians don't want people to know the truth about a lot of thing. Which is not good.
ReplyDeleteI don´t know what is going on with this artist, but maybe he is complaining I guess because he has his own reasons, so I can understand it. Also I think that we should respect everybody. But I think it is not right to arrest someone just for what this person thinks.
ReplyDeleteEverybody should be allowed to say their opinion, I think listen different opinions it is really important for life.
A few years ago something like this situation with this Chinnesse artist happened in Spain. The problem was that a very famous Spanish magazine started to published cartoon about the Spanish Royal family. It was a really big deal beacuse the cartoons were really disrespectful, they were about that the Royal family were lazy people an this stuffs. I don´t know what finnally happened but I think the magazine was in big trouble.
In my opinion the free speech it is a right that everybody should have, but always being respectfull...
I love my country. When i see this kind of people, i don't think they are right. Everyone should just work on there own job. What other people said is there opinion. Also i think the government should give the free of speech too. Everyone can say whatever they want, but China is big is hard to let everyone happy. I believe that my country my government is trying hard
ReplyDeleteActually, I didn't know there is such a person only after you showed us the video.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, artists should have the rights to express their own opinions on public matters meanwhile they should contribute on art too. I believe that everybody should have the responsibility to contribute to our public matters. I should care about our own public.
Also, I agree with the opinion that government should be able to detain people who criticize them. If a country can't control their own people it won't be able to get along well with the other countries.
Artists have feelings or ideas then they create arts, some of them create irony or critical art because they want to use the most common way to express that the government is suck. I think what Ai Wei Wei doing is a part of the culture, the government shouldn't respect everyone's support. I think the government don't have right to detain people who criticize them because the government get the power from people, they should accept the criticism from where they gain the power. Ai Wei Wei didn't do something that interference other people's life. He doesn't kill people, he doesn't sell drugs he doesn't put C4 in Tian'an Men square, he just want to use his own way to heal the world.
ReplyDeleteAlthough everyone has the freedom to show their own opinions, I don't think Ai Weiwei is right. There is nothing wrong that the artists have the duty to use iron or negative stuffs to show the darkness of the society, I totally agree with that. But for the government, they are just normal people. They need their suggestion. I cannot deny that some of the government officers are really bad or sometimes they do something wrong. Artists can use irons to let government pay attention to the problems. But they should notice that their goals is let the government notice them and solve them. Some artists just against the government and make more people only know how to blame the society and do nothing to solve the problem. If they really love their country, they should try to do their best to use their force make more people to work hard together. What Ai Weiwei did is only makes people hate the government. I wondered if he wanted to help make a progress of the society, or he only wanted to abet some useless people who are not working hard but only know how to blame do some bad things. He even used abusive languages and acted wired. That's very bad in my mind.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know him either before you showed us the video. After that, I did some research in Chinese website, which was totally useless. Because things which against out country will be deleted by manager.
ReplyDeleteI support this kind of measures. Artists should definitely just concentrate on their art. I do not mean to deny their right to criticize our country, but they must also respect our country. This kind of respect is their responsibility.
If everybody can express their opinions without limit, how can a country exist in peace.
Anyway, I love my China, so I don't wanna see anybody hurts my country.
Chinese government is kind special, this government is different from west country's. Give an easy example, american can vote for their president, but we can't. The government inside have already picked next president for the country. That's unfair right? But we have nothing to do with that. Isn't that weird? China is a country which don't have enough human right, because the rule in china in government is greater than country, and country is greater than people. The government control some of the media, that's why Ai Wei Wei is detained because he speaks out the truth which government don't like.
ReplyDeleteThere is a true story happened in China, a young man killed a woman. If by law, he's going to have death penalty, but because of his parents have high power in the government, so he don't even have to go to the jail. How's that thing?
Speech has to be free, but in china, that's won't come true ever...
I don’t know the Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei a lot, because I am not really interested in political or social things. We saw the video about him during ELL class a few weeks ago. So, I have a little bit opinions about that.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think artists can just concentrate on their art. They have the responsibilities to express their opinions on public matters, BUT not like what Ai Wei Wei did. I think his behaviors were just disturbing the social orders intentionally. That was not a correct way to express his opinions.
Absolutely the governments have the right to detain people who criticize them not correct or not using the right behaviors. At least in China the governments can do that.
We can use the right ways to express our opinions to the governments, but we will be totally wrong if we act like Ai Wei Wei.
I think artist is great! I admire artist in China. especially Aiweiwei because he can say some true things though that not good to the government. I think government have not right to interference it. For example in some western country,government never interference what people said,I think our Chinese government need learn about it. Also for the social develop people can said they own opinion in the public but is still limited,but I think for the time pass,one day you can said whatever you want in china!
ReplyDeleteI agree with that speech should be free and artists have a responsibility to express their opinions on public matters.BUT! Ai Weiwei's behave has already insulted the Chinese government.I don't think he is famous in China,because a lot of people haven't ever heard his name.As a artist, you can tell people the truth,you can express your own opinions,but it doesn't mean you can do the dirty finger to the Tian'an men Square .You can help the people who are suffering from the earthquake,but it doesn't mean you have enough ability to against the government.
ReplyDeleteA few days ago, I heard that he was caught by the police.I just can say he deserved that.
His art-workings are good but he is just a crazy human.
Your comments show a diversity of opinions - not only about Ai Weiwei, but also about the role of artists and dissidents in society and the powers of government. The individual vs. society is a conflict in every country, I think; it's definitely a theme in art and literature. Good comments!
ReplyDeleteI think artist should be able to do their own job although they have feeling as well as emotion. However, he should not public his opinion like that. I don't know about China Government but if he is in Vietnam, probably he could be in jail. We don't have freedom in speech like American so we need to be careful when we give out any speech. We might be in trouble if we say something which is not good about Government.
ReplyDeleteActually, i can't really understand what is his art or what is his significant. Personally, he is only an artist,that we don't really know who he is. For this reason that we should rethink about this, isn't he just sensationalizing himself to let us remember who he is. We all know Chinese government has some corrupt factor, but each country has those corrupt phenomena also. Are those really enough for him to attack. I also think he is reckless. Tian An Men square signify China, that is kind of national spirit in every Chinese mind. As a innovator, you can attack government corruptly, but you can't attack national spirit, innovator should be always signify civilian, not only a personally speech.
ReplyDeleteI think the artists have responsibility to express their opinion on public, I think they need to express themselves by creating their artwork.Because it is a way to express their feeling to the government, and it can help people to get to know their government.In the US, I don't think the government has the right to detain these people, they have their freedom to give a speech. But in my country, the government has the right to do it, because they are afraid that these people will expose the corruption. But I don't think it is good,because people are deprived to express their feeling.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Allen,I don’t think artists can just concentrate on their art. They have the responsibilities to express their opinions on public matters, governments have the right to detain people who criticize them not correct or not using the right behaviors. At least in China the governments can do that.It is hard to the free speech,because politicians don't want people to know the truth about a lot of thing. Which is not good.
ReplyDeleteI think a artiest have their own rights to say what they want to say but the government sometimes don't want people to know the truth I think that not right because the commonwealth have their rights to known the truth and government should tell them what they are doing now! But sometime the government don't whith is not good!
ReplyDeleteNot only artists but all the people should have their right to say everything they want. As Ziming said that a good government should allow people to do the free speech and free speech could make a country power to be better. But i have the same idea as Tintim. Everyone knows that China has the largest population. It's very hard to control too many people and make everyone happy. I believe that my government is trying very hard and I love my country.
ReplyDeleteWell... Ai Wei Wei is a crazy and special man. After i doing research about his writing and his works. I feel really really strange. I feel his faith and opinion are too different than normal people. I am a patriot. So i almost support everything Chinese government what they said what they done. But the important part is they didn't touch my benefits. I think the government's option or their policies they must think or consider for a long time. And make sure is good and will be better for the future. Maybe some of the things Chinese government is doing in unreasonable, but i think we must trust our government and support them. I read a lot of papers, news, videos,and so on. specially in some of the countries i found so many information they are attack Chinese government. And i found a lot of men like Ai Wei Wei they wrote or report some darkness part of the government. But i always think like that China it's different than others. We only have a group to control our country, and we also is a communism country. I feel if government will kill or do something on Ai Wei Wei i will support them. Because i am a Chinese and still a person in Sichuan. i was pass the earthquake in 2008. Ai Wei Wei report some part of the bad part about my hometown and our government. I admit during the earthquake Chinese government eliminate some information. But they have the reason about it. They want to protect the very important factory or some very very important products we are testing or making underground. So some workers or people they died government didn't report i think sometimes protect government benefits is much important than others. I believe government don't want to do that but they have no choice. By the way i don't like Ai Wei Wei. And i don't like these kind of person. The World it is Unfair or we can say it is almost fair. We always protect the most of the people's fair and also benefits. But sometime we will take something from a small group of people. I think that's very normal and very common right now. I really like a prove it is a Russia traditional prove:" When a person try to point out other people's mistakes, he/she might make the same or another mistake." That's true. And the man like Ai Wei Wei his speech or his works something is true something he add to attack Chinese government. I want to have a free speech and free opinion atmosphere, but we need make sure we are on right way and on the righteous side.
ReplyDeleteIn the world, sometimes we can not do everything we want.
ReplyDeleteMany countries are different, the different culture and different rules.
In the world, nothing is must wrong and nothing is must right.
Some people don't like some rules, but maybe because these rules,so the country can control the citizens.
Everybody has different idea,you can think about it. Like AI WEIWEI. I think he can discuss this with friends, and say something in another counties. But not in China.
Obviously, you could say Ai Wei Wei 'A such brave person', cause he is using some simple pictures to against the hole Chinese government. Is he right ? absolutely, all the things that he said about government are all truth , there has to be somebody to step up to tell people the truth right? But will that person be you ? will you do it ? yea, we all know the answer. But Ai wei wei did it, and we all know what happened on him after.
ReplyDeleteIts all because he forgot the 'limit', there is a bad situation in Chinese government, its so bad that you have no way to change right now. But he crossed the line over and over again, and finally he makes government said, ' alright, that's it, that's my limit about this people.'
I think this guy is run out of his mind. he should be released by government. In China, people doesn't speech free. but sometime we are, and government won't interfere. but this guy did too much behavior let the government down. I think government released him is right. we have our law almost 60years. if people doesn't this law most of people can stand out. people dont need a guy give the middle finger to the government.
ReplyDeleteI don't like this artist. Although I think he's very brave to express his opinion of how the country is. But I don't like the way he shows it to others, which is so impolite. I don't think the people who doesn't expect his country can have right to tell the people in the world. In one of his picture, he put his middle finger in from of the Tiananmen Square.I think it's the same as someone put his middle in front to you.
ReplyDeleteGovernment should give freedom for people's public speech. But the speech should not affect the whole country's safety.
In my opinion the artist are really important. i think so because they use to be famous and everyone listen to the famous people. Everyone believe what people famous says, i mean not everything but everyone listens to them because the are kind of important. i think that the artists need to be responsable because everyone is going to know what they did. I think they are kind of an example for everyone. anyways i think that they can express them opinion like everyone else. to express our opinion is a right that we have and none can detain us for what we think. we can say what we think freely, it doesn't matter what it is we can say what we think. So in my opinion the government can't detain you or make you pay a penalty.
ReplyDelete