The exiled Chinese artist spoke to Sky's Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips about the cancellation of his exhibition by a gallery in London.

He was responding to a question about the cancellation of his exhibition by the Lisson Gallery in London in November following comments on social media referencing the Israel-Hamas conflict.

His post, which was subsequently deleted, suggested the “sense of guilt around the persecution of the Jewish people” had been transferred and used against the Arab world.

Referring to his own family’s exile when he was one year old, the activist said: "I grew up within this heavy political censorship.

“I realise now, today in the West, you are doing exactly the same.”

He drew parallels with the disastrous purge under Mao, which took China to the brink of anarchy.

Criticising the suspension of two New York University professors for comments related to Gaza, Ai said: "This is really like a cultural revolution, which is really trying to destroy anybody who have different attitudes, not even a clear opinion.

Ai’s art often addresses political issues in China and he has frequently criticised Beijing’s record on human rights and democracy.

  • Buffalox@lemmy.world
    308·
    9 months ago

    Yes the independent artists and journalist Snowden, who couldn’t display his art exhibition because of government censorship. That’s a perfectly reasonable comparison. /s
    Oh wait… He wasn’t an artist or journalist or even independent, he was a government contractor, who had signed not to reveal what he was working with.
    Yes it sucks that whistleblowers that reveal things that are relevant, often become victims. But we are at least free to discuss what he revealed, and air our opinion and even protest and vote against politicians and policies that defend the system when it’s doing wrong.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      235·
      9 months ago

      So far, OP has claimed that censorship in the west, as a whole, is exactly the same as Mao’s China because of Richard Snowden, U.S. jails, anti-BDS policies and “deplatforming.”

      Weirdly, OP has not been put in a re-education camp for saying such things.

      I had no idea Mao was so lenient.