The exiled Chinese artist spoke to Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips about the cancellation of his exhibition by a gallery in London.
  • Landsharkgun@midwest.socialEnglish
    151·
    10 months ago

    The comment he was canceled for was for saying that the West has a cultural sense of guilt around the historically widespread oppression of Jewish people (which is true), and that the US and Israel are closely financially linked (which is true). So yah, I think he has cause for an accusation of censorship.

    • ragica
      123·
      10 months ago

      Ai Weiwei lived in China most of his life, and was openly critical of the government there. He has been imprisoned before. In his family history, one of his parents was internally exiled. This is a brave person who knows a few things from personal experience and deserves some respect and consideration, even if you disagree.

      • davelAEnglish
        172·
        10 months ago

        It’s like Julian Assange is memory-holed already.

          • davelAEnglish
            16·
            10 months ago

            And then there are those who don’t get whacked or politically persecuted, only cancelled. The people who got Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction wrong are still prominent today, while those who got it right have never worked in the industry again, like Chris Hedges and Phil Donahue.

            Like, of course US journalists toe the party line: you get promoted for doing it and you get permabanned like Chris Hedges if you question it.

  • AutoTL;DR@lemmings.worldBEnglish
    3·
    10 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:

    Political censorship in the West today is “exactly the same” as it was in China under its ruthless communist leader Mao Zedong, exiled artist Ai Weiwei has told Sky News.

    The 66-year-old dissident told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that “society becomes so timid, to really avoid any kind of questioning or argument”.

    He was responding to a question about the cancellation of his exhibition by the Lisson Gallery in London in November following comments on social media referencing the Israel-Hamas conflict.

    He also argued the Jewish community had a significant influence in the media, finance and culture in the US, and that America’s $3bn (£2.45bn) annual military aid to Israel meant the two countries had a “shared destiny”.

    Criticising the suspension of two New York University professors for comments related to Gaza, Ai said: "This is really like a cultural revolution, which is really trying to destroy anybody who have different attitudes, not even a clear opinion.

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