Lego Refuses To Give Ai Weiwei Bulk Order; Chinese Artist Tweets Dismay!
Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei needs a lot of Lego bricks for his new artwork about political protesters. Danish toymaker Lego refused the artist's latest bulk order, saying it doesn't want its iconic bricks associated with politics, according to BBC.
"Lego will tell us what to do, or not to do. that is awesome!", tweeted the artist late Saturday night.
Last year, Ai used Lego to create 175 portraits of objectors who had been exiled, or jailed: Ranging from Edward Snowden to Nelson Mandela. His work was seen near San Francisco, on the site formerly known as Alcatraz Prison.
He planned to do similar work for the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, but the order placed by the museum was rejected.
The gallery will hold the largest international contemporary show, and plans to bring works of Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei to Melbourne, according to ABC.
A picture on Twitter of a sad faced lego figure with caption "Everything not awesome" was posted by New York Times culture reporter David Itzkoff.
An outcry of support on social media using the hashtag #legosforweiwei was heard. Many offered their own Lego blocks to help Ai complete his room-scale installation.
Lego confirmed that the order was rejected on political grounds, and that the principle is "not new", in an email to the Guardian.
As a principle, Lego "respects any individual's right to free, creative expression" says Lego's press officer Roar Rude Trangbaeck. The spokesperson did not give any direct comment on the case.
Ai Weiwei is known for being one of the world's leading contemporary artist, and his criticism of the Chinese government.
The artist was arrested in 2011 in China during an effort to crush political activists; but was released after 81 days without charge. His passport was kept for four years by Chinese authorities. It was returned to him early this year.
