References: Ai Wei Wei & Social Media Subversion

After his blog was removed by Chinese government censure, viewers learn in the documentary Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry that Ai Wei Wei turned to Twitter for the constant stream of information pertaining to his activist art. He goes so far as to utilize it for special projects, such as “512 Birthdays”: 

Followers were to select a name from Wei Wei’s list of some 5,000 students who died in the Sichuan Earthquake, apparently because of the poor quality of their government-built schools that collapsed, and record the pronunciation of their name.

“We are always trying to think of a way to get everyone involved.” He utilizes the second anniversary of the event as an opportunity, he elaborates, to show people how to use the resources available to them for a cause, in this case, regarding the use of easily accessible recording methods and the internet-enabled sharing of it to collectively produce the project. “The content is a respect of life...and a build up to a new way to communicate and reach out.” 

*          *         *

At the same time, Wei Wei is terribly antagonistic toward individual actors for the Chinese communist government that harass him, both in person...

...and through social media.

Evan Osnos, The New Yorker’s China Correspondent with Wei Wei in the documentary tells how Wei Wei shared his logic for continuing to approach his harassers in attempts to find justice, but on their terms by filing police reports and lawsuits, although knowing they will fail: “...you can’t just say that the system is flawed. You have to work through the system...that’s the only way to you can ultimately make a critique.” He remains on twitter during his report.

Similarly to viral text messages and other media imagery’s display in the BBC series Sherlock, the documentary shows Wei Wei’s tweets in real time, as he waits to be seen to file his report at a local police station. This better portrays the additional dimension to daily life that social media adds and how it can be subversively utilized.

This behavior seems offensive, disrespectful, or simply rude at first glance, especially to the artistic son of a police officer, yet it is understandable: A peer theorizes, “Wei Wei has a hooligan side. So he knows how to deal with other hooligans. Because the Communist Party are just hooligans, really. So you have to turn yourself into a hooligan as well.” It makes sense to film a government official who hides behind a camera, as Wei Wei’s videographer does here.

If everyone hides behind their iPhones, why not “work through the system” so as to invade that space? Perhaps then, one will take notice, as this casual Communist official eventually does. 

IN CONCLUSION

Utilize landmark events to rally people to your project’s cause.

Work through the system” of communication that the people support (social media).

Galvanize the audience into those passionately for and against you.

Do not be afraid to tweet often and preach through it.

All information, quotations, and images from Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry. No rights assumed.