BROOKLYN MUSEUM of ART
Exhibit - Ai Wei Wei, According to What?
![]() Related Artists
Allan Kaprow ![]() ![]() ![]() Jasper Johns
For additional information, see ArtSy's article on Jasper Johns. |
![]() Highlighted Works:
He Xie. He Xie consists of 3,200 porcelain crabs. Translated into English, He Xie means “river crab” however it also sounds like the word for “harmonious,” which is part of the Chinese Communist Party slogan “The realization of a harmonious society.” Thus, among "Chinese Netizens," He Xie refers to Chinese Censorship supposedly propagated for a harmonious society. Additionally, He Xie refers to the 2010 announcement by Chinese Authorities to destroy Ai Wei Wei's Shanghai Studio. On November 3rd of 2010, artist Ai Wei Wei noted government officials had informed him two months earlier that the newly completed studio would be knocked down because it was illegal. According to The Guardian, Shanghai municipal authorities were "frustrated" by Ai Wei Wei's "sensitive" documentaries. Ai complained the demolition was unfair, as he was "the only one singled out to have my studio destroyed." In response to the slated demolition, the artist invited (via Twitter) friends to a ten thousand crab feast at his studio. Ironically, Ai Wei Wei was placed on house arrest prior to the feast and couldn't attend. The artist was released from arrest the following day. |
Questions to Ask while viewing He Xie.
1. Ai Wei Wei invited friends to dinner via Twitter. Why do you think Ai used Twitter to invite friends?
2. Why do you think there are so many crabs? How would the work change if there were only three or four? 3. The crabs are made of porcelain, a material known to have originated in China. Why do you think Ai created the crabs of porcelain? See Ai's Bowls of Pearls. ![]() 4. How is He Xie similliar to Bowls of Pearls?
5. How would He Xie be different if the crabs were made of different materials, such as plastic, glass or ceramics? 6. If you can actually visit He Xie, what is the experience like to actually walk around the crabs? How does the experience effect the way you feel about the art? |
Suggested Art Activities:
1. (Grades 9-12) Create a "Found Art" installation addressing a social injustice. Accompany your work with a brief report on the issue you are examining. See this link for inspiration.
2. (Grades 7-8) Build a diorama telling a story of an important event in your life. Things to consider: What will the outside of the box look like? What kind of feelings do you want to evoke? What kind of event was this? What materials and why will you use to construct the figures inside the box?
3. (Grades 4-6) How would you express the right of "Freedom of Speech?" or "Freedom of Expression?" Create a drawing or sculpture which expresses these rights and why they are important to you. Consider the converse - how would you feel if you didn't have the right to free speech and expression? What would you create expressing how it might feel to NOT have those freedoms?
1. (Grades 9-12) Create a "Found Art" installation addressing a social injustice. Accompany your work with a brief report on the issue you are examining. See this link for inspiration.
2. (Grades 7-8) Build a diorama telling a story of an important event in your life. Things to consider: What will the outside of the box look like? What kind of feelings do you want to evoke? What kind of event was this? What materials and why will you use to construct the figures inside the box?
3. (Grades 4-6) How would you express the right of "Freedom of Speech?" or "Freedom of Expression?" Create a drawing or sculpture which expresses these rights and why they are important to you. Consider the converse - how would you feel if you didn't have the right to free speech and expression? What would you create expressing how it might feel to NOT have those freedoms?
Key Topics
Captivity Freedom Materiality National Identity Human Rights Individuality Protests Self Expression Social Media |
Art Themes
Activist Art Community Art Conceptual Art Dioramas Found Art Happenings Installations Ready Mades Sculpture |
Note - this page is not explicitly supported by any institution. However, I did consult external institutions for research, including but not limited to the sites noted under "Additional Resources."