1001 chairs for Weiwei

 My first expectation of the reenactment of Ai Weiwei’s project Fairytale: 1001 Qing Dynasty Wooden Chairs (call-to-action-1001-chairs-for-ai-weiwei) was that there would be rows of people neatly lined up in a solemn spectacle. I arrived at the scene to find something more like an opening in a gallery with no walls. A bunch of people mingling, many well know artists and critics, some seated, some with signage, next to a group of chanting Chinese activist.

Eventually someone organized the group for a photo op. All people with chairs were requested to line up in rows. And almost as many photographers started snapping. Then it was requested that since the piece was about empty chairs that we leave our chairs and move to the side for that image to be captured. So while not exactly to my original idea, the arts community did end up with an esoteric protest image.

see also- http://bambuser.com/v/1586643

Over the past eight weeks, more than 100 activists in China have disappeared, been detained, or are confined to their homes, including Weiwei's lawyer.  Today's protest was enacted internationally.