Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012) - Alison Klayman - 8/10
A great insight into one of the most outspoken artists and political activists in China - Ai Weiwei. with large scale works that have even made it here to Melbourne (alongside a Warhol exhibition), as well as Tate Modern in UK, Germany and New York to name a few...
His work captures a very strong and powerful political message, sometimes a bit harsh or blunt, but in today's society you sometimes have to go beyond political correctness and speak your mind no matter the cost...
Throughout the doco we follow Ai Weiwei around over the years, his home/studio to various exhibitions around the world, his family and fellow Chinese artists / activists. during the filming, the earthquake at Sichuan province in 2009 happens, initially AiWW is speechless, but quickly turns to another opportunity to show how the Chinese government are refusing to take responsibility for the badly built schools that killed 1000s of kids, hiding the death toll numbers, rumored to be around 70000 in total, to then start his own investigation. needless to say things get heated, violence breaks out, and refusal to publish the numbers or the police be accountable for the personal assault onto AiWW. all this inspires another huge exhibition, coloured backpacks hung by the 1000s at the front of his new exhibition's entrance which spells out one of the quotes from a mother who lost her child in a collapsed school.
What really grabbed me with AiWW is how passionate he is for total transparency, freedom of speech and letting the people speak and get involved. but also he's about individualism and showing if you speak loud enough, with great ferocity and clarity, even a communist government like China will stand up and listen.
Powerful stuff, highly recommended for artists who are trying something different and for those who want to stand up for what they believe in, no matter the odds stacked up against them.
