Last year the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei created a compelling installation of portraits of 175 political dissidents at Alcatraz Prison in San Francisco. Ai used thousands of tiny Lego bricks to make each picture.
The artist planned to do a similar installation at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne Australia, but the Danish Lego manufacturer refused to fill his order. Ai said that the company informed the National Gallery that its products could not be used for “any political, religious, racist, obscene or defaming statements”.
Ai has pointed out that the company is involved in a project to build a new LEGOLAND in Shanghai China. And we all know just how popular Ai is with the Chinese government.
In response, Ai Weiwei Studio has announced that Lego collection points will be set up in various cities to allow the public to donate bricks for the project in Melbourne. So, be on the lookout for collection spots in your city, if you’d like to contribute to the installation and stand up to big Lego.
