Ai Weiwei - Adrift: Art, Human Rights and Refugees | DW Documentary
Migration crisis in Europe: the theme of ‘Human Flow’, the new work by Ai Weiwei. A journey into the inner workings of a film shot during his European exile. Ai Weiwei: an uncomfortable critic or one of the most brilliant artists of our time? The persecution and house arrest he suffered in China led him to live in Berlin since 2015. From here, he maintains his critical stance, denouncing through his works what he considers a disastrous refugee policy. A DW team accompanied him for over a year. An inflatable raft adrift in the Aegean Sea between Turkey and Greece. On board, Ai Weiwei squats, unable to swim. Is this a performance? Ai Weiwei states that we are all refugees. The artist demonstrates his solidarity by traveling to where the refugees are (Greece, Turkey, and Gaza) and filming a major documentary. In his latest works, he addresses the plight of refugees. Boats, clothing, and life jackets abandoned on European beaches become memorials in museums and public squares. The theme of escape and exile has been with him throughout his life, since childhood. He is currently writing his memoirs, which will be published in 20 languages. His father, the renowned poet Ai Qing, fell from grace during Mao's Cultural Revolution, and Ai Weiwei grew up in exile. As a visiting professor in the Einstein program at the Berlin University of the Arts, he has his students address the issue of refugees. He himself took a risk by recreating the photograph of the body of Alan Kurdi, a refugee child who drowned in the Aegean Sea. For many, this work goes too far: sensationalism? provocation? Ai Weiwei's art knows no bounds. The documentary showcases the artist's work but also delves into his daily life, with his mother in Beijing and his son and partner in Berlin, portraying moments never before filmed. Many aspects of the artist remain enigmatic: Who is Ai Weiwei, after all? ------------------------------------------------------------ Fascinating, surprising, and informative. DW Documentaries, always close to the facts and the people who shape everyday life. Our wide variety of award-winning documentaries and reports reflects the world in all its facets. Immerse yourself in strange cultures, travel to distant lands, and discover the keys to the present. Subscribe and explore the world around you. Subscribe to DW Documentary: / dwdocumental For more information, visit: http://www.dw.com/zonadocu http://www.dw.com/primerplano Instagram (English): / dwdocumentary Facebook (English): / dw.stories YouTube DW Documentary (English): / dwdocumentary DW Netiquette: http://p.dw.com/p/14KkY
