Surveillance Camera

Mediums: marble.
Location: private collection.

For his provocative works and constant criticism of the actions of the government, Ai Weiwei was subjected to all kinds of repressions. The artist was arrested several times; in 2011, his new studio was razed to the ground on the outskirts of Beijing; he was severely beaten during one of the detentions, and he was kept under surveillance 24 hours. Nevertheless, all these measures did not break Ai Weiwei’s decisiveness but only gave him even more confidence in his correctness. To mock his guards, the artist created a marble sculpture in the shape of a chamber, which watches those who watch it day and night.