24/11/2011 / CHINA
"This is not pornography!" say nude online protesters
“Listen, Chinese Government, Nudity is Not Pornography!” Under this rallying cry, dozens of Chinese Internet users have posted naked photos of themselves online.
The daring move came after the Beijing authorities opened an inquiry last Friday into whether photographs taken by one of artist Ai Weiwei’s assistants are “pornographic”. Online protesters immediately launched their nude self-portrait campaign to condemn this move, which they see as yet another attack on Ai Weiwei, the artist who rose to international notoriety for speaking out on human rights violations in China.
In the photo, taken a year ago, Ai Weiwei is seen posing nude with four women. Titled “One tiger, eight breasts”, the photo went unnoticed by Chinese authorities until last Thursday, when the photographer was questioned by the police. They accused him of having published “obscene” material on the Internet.
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Asked about the definition of the term “obscene”, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Liu Weimin, dodged the question and indicated that Ai Weiwei was being investigated for other reasons.
In April, Ai Weiwei was arrested and charged with tax evasion, while being the “manager” of Beijing Fake Cultural Development, a company created by his wife. He was detained for two months and then released on bail in June for “good behaviour”.
However in November, he was ordered to pay 15 million yuan (€1.7 million) to the Chinese tax authorities within 15 days. The artist responded with the following statement: “We asked them where they got this number from; they were not able to provide us with a clear answer. If it is a tax problem, I will pay it. However, if it is not, I won’t pay anything.” A massive fundraiser was organised by 30,000 Internet users and members of the public to cover the legal fees of his campaign to inquire into the accusations. The artist says he plans to pay back every penny of the €752,000 that have been raised.
The 54-year-old artist is well known for his architectural contribution to the “Bird’s Nest”, the Olympic stadium in Beijing where the Olympic Games were held in 2008. He is also one of the over 300 intellectuals and activists who signed Charter 08, a petition calling for democratic change in China.
Contributors
"This campaign has already become a work of art"
Zhang Zhen works in construction in Zhangzhou, in the eastern province of Fujian.
I decided to pose naked and post my photo on the Internet to support Ai Weiwei. I don’t see how this gesture could be judged ‘obscene’. It’s just a way of expressing my individual freedom.
I first heard about this campaign on [Chinese social networking site] Weibo. A lot of photographs were circulating online at the beginning, but they were quickly removed. The aim of the campaign is to show that nudity is not synonymous with pornography. This campaign’s use of photos is a very artistic approach to this issue.
Ai Weiwei is not guilty of anything. The actions that the authorities have taken against him are an act of political persecution.
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Ai is a great man and has shown a great deal of courage. He has never abandoned his struggle in fear of being rejected or persecuted. When there was an earthquake in Sichuan in 2008 and thousands of students were buried in the rubble of their schools, it was Ai who fought to publish a list of the names of the victims. [After the earthquake, the artist launched his blog ‘The Sichuan Names Project’, whilst the authorities refused to release any statistics regarding the names of the victims]. He also supported the activist Tan Zuoren, who demanded an independent inquiry into the reasons for the earthquake’s very high death toll. [The activist blamed the poor quality of some of the buildings. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison for ‘inciting subversion’].
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Last year, Ai Weiwei’s main artistic project was a giant bed of 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds [exhibited at the Tate Modern Gallery in London]. After this exhibition, he announced on Twitter that he wished to give these seeds away to people as gifts. I sent him an email and a little while later I received two porcelain grains in the post. So when he was accused of fraud by the tax authorities I sent him a small amount of money as a sign of solidarity.”
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Comments
What is this world became
Submitted by Niza (not verified) on Wed, 14/12/2011 - 10:51.What is this world became into, this is disgusting
???
Submitted by Kilroy238 on Tue, 20/12/2011 - 00:39.What is disgusting? The treatment of Ai WeiWei or the pics of people posing nude?
I would say the treatment of Ai WeiWei is much more disgusting but if it's the pictures that offends you why did you look?
I've gotta say, this good sir
Submitted by Sir Aoedin, Field Marshal of the Alliance (not verified) on Tue, 13/12/2011 - 13:41.I've gotta say, this good sir has the conniving skills of a great businessman. First he protests against the obvious sentiment of the Chinese government abusing human rights, which earns him fame from within China then internationally. Due to his reputation for fighting against human rights, his "art" sells. Add this fact with his new publicity stunt, his art will sell for even more because he's apparently protesting for a just cause.
Is he making a shitload of money? Yes.
Is this a good way to fix your country? Probably not.
Is he seen as a traitor by nationalist Chinese? Probably.
What is art now anyways? Apparently as shown by Mr. Ai and many other "artists", anything is considered art now. Its the message or social/political value attached to it which determines its value now.
Why isn't Ai Wei Wei's "art" a good way of showing the wrongs of your country and protesting for the "democracy" that the west enjoys? There is a fundamental difference in Chinese and Western culture that would take an essay to explain, but because of this culture China (and even Russia) is not ready to embrace the Western version of democracy. The Chinese have a flawed understanding of "freedom". They think it is the intrinsic right to do whatever you want, like walk naked in a park or on the streets. My goodness, try doing that in the United States or Canada and "walking naked" will similarly get you arrested for obscenity.
yeah, i wonder if he even
Submitted by Anonymous dude (not verified) on Sun, 15/01/2012 - 08:12.yeah, i wonder if he even cares about the human rights violations.
It's definitely not
Submitted by Chin (not verified) on Sat, 26/11/2011 - 09:10.It's definitely not pornography when the people who are photographed are ugly.
Terrorist.
Submitted by ChodeMcBlob (not verified) on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 18:13.Need I say more?
Clothes cover ugliness as much as they do beauty.
Thank goodness the world in general does not share such beliefs.
Yours Truly,
an Infidel!
it is pornography
Submitted by Ali Jamal (not verified) on Sat, 10/12/2011 - 21:40.for men: its from 'belly button to knees... if it is shown' its porn
for women: its the whole body... except hands and face...
the person (males) who think i am wrong... only just imagine... someone is your wife.... and you both are in love with each other... :) and you love her because she is beautiful and most amazing person in the world :) and u make her feel that she is the luckiest girl… and you are truly sincere to her and 100 percent faithful and devoted to her only… the one… and only :) the girl of your life… and someone else likes watch your wife… especially he watches at her body... consider she does not likes to cover herself... and he or more people watches her and they starts to crave her... especially... when... she is at work when she is away from you... (-_-) (you know about all somehow about her) how would you feel... :'( (but you can’t do a thing… cause its not in your control except cursing someone) (-_-)
and for ladies if you are finally in love with a sincere person... and you decides to marry him... you guys are married... you are perfect... :) he just the best person in the world and u care about him very much and you protect him and his everything always (than any other thing else in the world... :) putting him at the top of all priorities of your life)... :) and u love him soo much :) and you see him with some other lady someday!!… anyone who is seeing or near his private part.......... -what will be your reaction :'(
- i beat its not ....... a happy 1....
A question, for anyone… curious… would(girls) you prefer a pick up artist over a faithful and nice person? And for guys would you ever accept a girl to get married with forever, who like to be in open relationship with you always... even after marriage??
i wont say more...
This just makes you sexist,
Submitted by Xiao Shao (not verified) on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 19:15.This just makes you sexist, actually.
Yup
Submitted by Kilroy238 on Tue, 20/12/2011 - 00:46.Sexist and just plain silly.
it is pornography
Submitted by Ali Jamal (not verified) on Sat, 10/12/2011 - 20:22.for men if from 'belly button to knees is shown' its porn
and in case of women its the whole body... accept hands and face...
the person (males) who think i am wrong only just imagine some one is your wife and you are both in love with each other... but some one else watches your wife like that... how would you feel... :'(
and for ladies if you are finally in love with a sincere person... and you decides to marry him... you guys are married... you are perfect... :) he just just the best person in the world and u care him his everything... than anything else in the world... and u love him soo much :) and you see him with some lady or a girl or any who is seeing or near his private part.......... -what will be your reaction :'(
- i beat its not ....... a happy 1....
i wont say more...