Wu Tun’s artwork
Shortly after the
campaign started,
some friends told me
they just couldn’t access to Indiegogo in
China. An introduction video of the project on Youku(Chinese Youtube) was
blocked a few hours
after I uploaded it.
What was worse,
China targeted VPN
services. It was what
we used for accessing Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and
such China-banned
websites and apps.
Under these circumstances, the Indiegogo campaign wasn’t
successful,
all
funds were returned
to
contributors.
I still managed
to produce the
t-shirts by receiving an order from
an Australian store.
They pre-ordered a
few so I could use
the money to make
samples and sell a
few. I’ve just setup
a new online store,
giving it a new
start. Making it on
t-shirts, I think,
is a good way to
make the message stronger. Also
selling t-shirts will
be able to avoid
some
financial
risks caused from
keeping the project
going. It is good to
associate clothes
with social issues.
Raising
social
awareness of Ai
Weiwei’s situation
and China’s censorship is the key
to this project. This
is why I decided to
make t-shirts other
than a painting or
something. A painting is just framed on
a wall, but t-shirts
will locate this project in a broader social-context. I support Weiwei because
he has been always
against China’s censors. His reputation
made his name as
a symbol of freedom
of expression. I’m
very glad he gave me
permission to use
his name and his
photograph Dropping A Han Dynasty Urn in this work.
I believe the day he is free to
travel will be an important day for
freedom of expression in China.