Foam currently presents the exhibition #SafePassage of the world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei. In addition to the exhibition and in a special collaboration with EYE, Foam presents a selection of videoworks, curated by Ai Weiwei himself, that deal with his struggle with the constant government surveillance he had to endure in China.
Ai Weiwei is a leading social and cultural commentator, a champion of human rights and democracy, and a tireless, outspoken critic of the political system in China. He has repeatedly investigated government corruption and cover-ups, making him a constant thorn in the authorities’ side. From 2011 until 2015, his passport was confiscated and he was forced to stay in China, where the authorities watched his every move. Whilst under surveillance, Ai Weiwei sought to regain a sense of control, through a series of experiments, which he documented with photography and film.
From the perspective of various video works, Foam’s Deputy Director Artistic Affairs Marcel Feil will reflect on Ai Weiwei’s artistic practice in this difficult period of his life.