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Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry Study Guide Sheena Abboud and Simon Forst University of British Columbia

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/ntrodu(tion
0 he world is not (han)in) if you don1t shoulder the burden of responsibility'2 Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist and so(ial a(tivist' 3e is widely re)arded as China4s most famous international artist and most vo(al )overnment (riti(' Ai uses his art- so(ial media su(h as witter- and video do(umentaries su(h as Never Sorry to (riti(i5e the Chinese Government4s human ri)hts and anti$demo(ra(y ideolo)ies' 6Never Sorry 77C- n'd'8 Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is a do(umentary by Ameri(an freelan(e 9ournalist and do(umentary filmma:er Alison ;layman' ;layman has produ(ed < and radio stories for =BSthe New >or: imes- and National =ubli( ?adio 6N=?8' ;layman moved to China in +..% and wor:ed on various pro9e(ts before meetin) Ai in +..@' She produ(ed a short video for one of his photo)raphy eAhibitions and was then )iven unpre(edented a((ess to Ai Weiwei for the neAt three years' ;layman was able to follow Ai as he installed ma9or art eAhibitions in 3aus der ;unst in Buni(h and the ate Bodern in 7ondon- investi)ated the Chinese Government4s (over up of the Si(huan EarthCua:e tra)edy- and had various run$ins with Chinese poli(ein(ludin) bein) beaten- havin) his studio demolished and finally bein) arrested and se(retly detained for over two months' 6About- n'd'8

7earnin) Dut(ome s:
Social Justice issues

/dentify the fundamental prin(iples of demo(ra(y Apply (riti(al thin:in) s:ills to so(ial 9usti(e issues- situations- and topi(s Use an ethi(al perspe(tive to analy5e so(ial 9usti(e issues Understand how belief systems affe(t perspe(tives in relation to so(ial 9usti(e Analy5e the (auses of so(ial in9usti(e &is(uss the (onseCuen(es of so(ial in9usti(e !ine "rts /dentify how (onteAt influen(es the (ontent and form of various art forms

Understand how artists (reate meanin) and effe(t in +$& and "$& media 3ow evolvin) te(hnolo)ies effe(t produ(tion and distribution of ima)es

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#re$ %ie&ing

=re$<iewin) Fuestions:
3ow is the Chinese system of )overnment different from the Canadian systemG What for(es (an suppress or ta:e away the ri)hts of humansG What human ri)hts do you feel are sometimes suppressed in our (ountryG What is a dissidentG Why are human ri)hts )roups (on(erned about the arrestin) of dissidentsG What mi)ht be (onsidered Hanti$Government behaviourH in CanadaG What human ri)hts- if any- do you feel are bein) 9eopardi5ed in CanadaG

<iew the film trailer here:

#ost$ %ie&ing

=ost$<iewin) &is(ussion Fuestions:

many students died in the Si(huan earthCua:eG Why is it important for Ai to file a lawsuit a)ainst his beatin)- when he :nows nothin) will happenG What do his sunflower seeds symboli5eG Why was his Shan)hai studio destroyedG What do you thin: happened to Ai while he was in(ar(erated- and why was he let outG hrou)hout the film- Ai is often referred to as 0 ea(her Ai2' Why do you thin: some had (hosen this title for himG EAplain Ai4s Cuote H/ thin: bein)

What do you thin: about the s(ale of Ai Weiwei1s artG Would it have a different impa(t if his pie(es were smallerG What is Ai Weiwei tryin) to symboli5e by destroyin) a Neolithi( <aseG Why did the Chinese Government allow him to do so mu(h before arrestin) himG What4s the differen(e between what Ai Weiwei does and 7iu Iiaobowho has been senten(ed to eleven years in prisonG /s so(ial media the :ey to demo(ra(yG Why or why notG Why would the )overnment hide how
%

#ost$ %ie&ing

3ave ea(h student put their names on a pie(e of paper and spend +$" minutes writin) down what they thin: about the Canadian Government' ell them that they will be as:ed to share this with the (lass' Give an eAample- su(h as "I think the Government is" When they are finished- as: a few students to read out what is written on hisKher pie(e of paper' As: the rest of the (lass what they thin: about what the person has said' Show the students the Canadian Charter of ?i)hts and Freedoms 6http:KKlaws$ lois'9usti(e')('(aKen)KConstKpa)e$#!'html8 with a fo(us on Se(tion +6b8 and eAplain that they have 9ust eAer(ised their ?i)ht to Freedom of eApression' /f there is time- dis(uss what other areas of the Charter relate to Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry' hen show them the United Nations4 Universal &e(laration of 3uman ?i)hts 6http:KKwww'un'or)KenKdo(umentsKudhrK8 and (ompare how Canada4s Charter a)rees with Arti(le #,' Dn a se(ond pie(e of paper- have the students spend +$" minutes writin) down somethin) that they would li:e to (han)e about the Canadian Government' Give and eAample- su(h as I would change the way the government runs the country by... A)ain- have "$E to read aloud what they have written' Write these students4 names on the board' When they are finished- announ(e that if the students listed on the board lived in a (ountry that restri(ted freedom of eApression- su(h as China- they (ould have )one to 9ail for what they had 9ust said' . &is(ussion:3ave students wor: in pairs and list ways in whi(h freedom of eApression (an be eAer(ised' Write these all up on the board'

=ost$<iewin) A(tivity

"t
Supplementa l A(tivities
Use the follo&ing activities to further elaborate upon themes covered in the film. Use the follo&ing resources to support each activit'. #8 Self$EApression throu)h So(ial Bedia China's censorship can never de eat the Internet by Ai Weiwei
6http:KKwww'the)uardian'(omK(omment isfreeKliberty(entralK+.#+KaprK#%K(hina$ (ensorship$internet$freedom8

Self$EApression throu)h So(ial Bedia

+8 Artist Study =hoto slideshow of Ai1s wor: "8 3ollywood in China

/ron Ban " China railer
6http:KKwww'youtube'(omKwat(hGvL3$ tSmEE@d#@8

/n his arti(le- Chinas censorship can never de eat the Internet! Ai Weiwei dis(usses the role of the /nternet N mainly so(ial media Non fa(ilitatin) the freedom of (reativity and self$eApression for the people of China' #8 ?esear(h and eAplain one other eAample where (iti5ens used so(ial media to spea: out a)ainst an oppressive )overnment' +8 EAamine the a((ompanyin) illustration to the arti(le 6above8O eAplain how this illustration supports the messa)e of Ai Weiwei1s arti(le' "8 /t1s your turn to spea: out a)ainst an a(tion made by your )overnment' Write your own manifesto eAplainin) what you disa)ree with and why' EAplain your plan of a(tion- in(ludin) whi(h media outlets you would use- to spread your messa)e and ta:e a(tion'

/ron Ban " railer

6http:KKwww'youtube'(omKwat(hG vL;e#>"=,&.B(8

Arti(le: /ron Ban " is latest 3ollywood movie to (ourt Chinese (ensors Arti(le: /ron Ban " smashes openin) boA offi(e re(ord in China Arti(le: HWhen Ni)ht FallsH and H&9an)o Un(hainedH: Bovie (ensorship in China Arti(le: 7i)htsM CameraM CensorshipM 3ollywood fed up with Chinese Hbri(: wallH

0And if the /nternet is un(ontrollable- freedom will win'2 N Ai Weiwei

Artist Study: Ai Weiwei

EAplain whi(h one of the three wor:s below stands out to you and why'

"above# 0Ai4s H?ememberin)H at the 3aus der ;unst ahead of the eAhibition HSo Sorry-H on D(t' @- +..,- in Buni(h' H?ememberin)H is a memorial to the vi(tims of the devastatin) Bay +..@ Cua:e in Si(huan provin(e that :illed !-".. (hildren' /t is (omposed of ,-... ba(:pa(:s in five (olors that write out a senten(e in Chinese told to the artist by a mother of one of the Cua:e vi(tims: HFor seven years she lived happily on this Earth'H2 6Flana)an- p'#@8

"above# 0Ai Weiwei- shown here on *une ".- +.., in China- was arrested while boardin) a fli)ht from Bei9in) to 3on) ;on) on April E- +.##- as part of a (ra(:down to suppress a feared uprisin) in China' As a(tivists moved for a *asmine ?evolution- inspired by the protests and re)ime (han)es in the Biddle East- the (ommunist nation has be)un to arrest writers- a(tivists- blo))ers and other dissidents'2 6Flana)an- p'%8

"right# 0Ai poses amid his wor: H?ooted Upon-H whi(h is made of #.. pie(es of trees- at the H3aus der ;unstH 63ouse of Art8 durin) the presentation of his eAhibition HSo SorryH on D(tober ,- +.., in Buni(h'2 6Flana)an- p'#E8

3ollywood in China
/n order to appease (ensorship re)ulations in China- 3ollywood films have been released with alternate versions of bi) name titles' Bost re(ently- /ron Ban " added bonus foota)e to in(lude Chinese (ontent' Wat(h the trailers below and see if you (an pinpoint the (han)es' Why do you thin: these U; and North Ameri(an railer(han)es were madeG

/nternational China railer

#.

?eferen(es
Ai Weiwei' 6+.#+- April #%8' Chinas censorship can never de eat the Internet. he Guardian' ?etrieved from http:KKwww'the)uardian'(omK(ommentisfreeKliberty(entralK+.#+KaprK#%K(hina$(ensorship$internet$freedom British Columbia Binistry of Edu(ation' 6+..+8' $isual %rts && and &'( %rt )oundations* +tudio %rts' ?etrieved from http:KKwww'b(ed')ov'b('(aKirpKpdfsKartsPedu(ationK+..+visualarts###+Partfoundstudioarts'pdf British Columbia Binistry of Edu(ation' 6+..@8' +ocial ,ustice &'' ?etrieved from http:KKwww'b(ed')ov'b('(aKirpKpdfsKso(ialPstudiesK+..@so(ial9usti(e#+'pdf Flana)an- E' 6+.#"- Bay ++8' %rtist %i -eiwei answers to .& days in China prison( /ro anity0laced heavy metal "+lideshow( %rtist +trikes a 1erve#. Behind the Wall' NBC News' ?etrieved from http:KKbehindthewall'nb(news'(omKPnewsK+.#"K.!K++K#@E#J@!!$artist$ai$weiweis$answer$to$@#$days$in$ (hina$prison$profanity$la(ed$heavy$metalGlite 3uman ?i)hts Wat(h' 6+.##8' ?i)ht Words ##: Freedom of EApression 7esson =lan' ?etrieved from http:KKwww'ri)htwords'or)'u:KfilesK7essonPplanP?i)htPwordsP##'pdf Never Sorry 77C' 6n'd'8' About the Film' ?etrieved from http:KKaiweiweineversorry'(omKindeA'html About' 6n'd8' /n Alison ;layman: Freelan(e *ournalist and &o(umentary Filmma:er' ?etrieved from http:KKalison:layman'(omKabout'php