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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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China Censors Artist Leading Quake Inquiry

Police stake out whistleblower's studio, shut down blog

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(Newser) – The Chinese artist who has made investigating the deaths of children in the Sichuan earthquake a personal crusade is facing a government crackdown, reports the CBC. Ai Weiwei's widely read blog has been deleted, and plainclothes police officers are staking out his studio in Beijing. Ai has relaunched his blog on an American server but said, "I don't know how long it will last before it is blocked."

Ai has exhibited across Europe and Asia and collaborated on the design for the "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium. But his muckraking in Sichuan—he collected the names of more than 5,000 children who died in the quake and accused Communist Party officials of corruption—has infuriated government officials, who even sent undercover police to his mother's house. Ai told the Art Newspaper that even if his new blog is shuttered, "the server is in the US, so the content will remain."

A mother and grandmother mourn for their child who died at a school in the May 12, 2008 earthquake, at a cemetery in Qingchuan County in Sichuan.
A mother and grandmother mourn for their child who died at a school in the May 12, 2008 earthquake, at a cemetery in Qingchuan County in Sichuan.   (AP Photo/Xinhua, Tao Ming)
Chinese public officials bow their heads facing what used to be Beichuan New Middle School, destroyed by last year's May 12th earthquake.
Chinese public officials bow their heads facing what used to be Beichuan New Middle School, destroyed by last year's May 12th earthquake.   (AP Photo/ Elizabeth Dalziel, File)
Ai Weiwei, China's most successful artist, has led a campaign to identify all the children who died in the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
Ai Weiwei, China's most successful artist, has led a campaign to identify all the children who died in the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake.   (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in front an installation in Germany.
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in front an installation in Germany.   (AP Photo/Jens Meyer)
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4 comments
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ultramagnus21
Jul 13, 09 9:51 AM CDT
Reminds us all that China is still a socialist state. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
shonangreg
Jul 13, 09 10:40 AM CDT
Socialist? Where is there a country that does not have substantial socialism?
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IN RESPONSE:
kokuaguy
Jul 13, 09 11:01 AM CDT
Oops, I accidentally thumbed you up after my thumbs up for the always insightful Shonangreg. China is a one party, authoritarian police state. Socialism or the lack of it is irrelevant (their health care system is largely non-existent. fee for service, or privatized.) Spend a little less time here and a little more time educating yourself, for your own good, ultra. my friend. I personally enjoy reading your posts, but how are you benefitting yourself and your family hanging out in this community of news junkies and mental masturbators so much?
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IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Jul 13, 09 11:26 AM CDT
China is a communist one party authoritarian police state, not a socialist state. There are only 8 countries that reference non-Marxist-Leninist socialism in their constitutions, and two that are "informal" socialist countries.
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