Aj Wej-wej wrapped the Zodiac in foil to draw attention to refugees

Prague - The world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei presented his work Zodiac yesterday, which references both Chinese and European history. The day before the exhibition, he covered the animal heads displayed at the Trade Fair Palace with thermal foil, which refugees rescued from the sea receive on their journey to Europe. He aimed to draw attention to the migration crisis, which he said deeply concerns him. In this context, he noted that most of Czech society is not inclined to help refugees.

"I know that Czechs are opposed to accepting refugees," Ai Weiwei told reporters. He was surprised by this and mentioned the responsibility that people should have towards themselves and the world. In this context, he recalled the "great thinker," the former dissident and Czech President Václav Havel, who, according to the Chinese activist, cited responsibility as one of the pillars of democracy.

In early January, Ai Weiwei announced his intention to create a memorial on the Greek island of Lesbos to commemorate the fates of migrants arriving in Europe. He mentioned that he has already visited the island and rented a studio there and is currently seeking sponsors to contribute to the creation of the memorial. According to him, the work should convey a message about the importance of helping people in need. "It's a real crisis. We have over a million people coming to Europe, but there are 60 million refugees worldwide," he stated today in Prague.

A few days ago, he published a photograph of himself in the same position that the drowned Syrian boy Alan Kurdi was found on the Turkish coast. The photograph of his body went viral around the world. Last week, in response to new asylum laws in Denmark that allow for the confiscation of immigrants' valuables, Ai Weiwei decided to withdraw his works from museums and galleries in Denmark.

He came to Prague for two days upon the invitation of the National Gallery in Prague, which is exhibiting Zodiac in front of its exhibition at the Trade Fair Palace. Ai Weiwei created the twelve oversized animal heads based on sculptures that adorned the imperial palace in the 18th and 19th centuries, but succumbed to the raids of European soldiers during the Opium Wars.

The director of the NG Jiří Fajt is counting on the creation of a new work by Ai Weiwei specifically for the National Gallery in 2017. He has been negotiating with the artist about his works for over a year, starting at a time when Ai Weiwei did not have a passport and could not leave China.

The artist's visit to Prague represents a different side of China than the official one presented by Czech politicians, including President Miloš Zeman. The director of the NG has a dispute with Zeman concerning the denial of a professorship. The president cites purported immoral behavior on Fajt's part in obtaining sponsorship as a reason; Fajt believes the reason is his criticism of Zeman during the presidential election.

Ai Weiwei is known for his artistic and architectural works, but he is also an advocate for freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial. He spent three months in prison without trial, had his passport confiscated by authorities, and received a hefty fine for alleged tax evasion. Even during his house arrest, his works appeared in prestigious galleries around the world.