Over 65 million people Around the world have been forced out of their homes to escape war, famine and climate change. The largest displacement since WW2. The Public Art Fund partnered with Ai Weiwei to take over New York City with art installation in all 5 boroughs to bring awareness to this devastation. Dollar and Sense Glenn Manacker has the story.
This is Glenn Manacker reporting from Washington Square park awaiting the arrival of Ai Weiwei who has taken over New York City with his exhibit Good Fences make Good neighbors. With the support from the Public Art Fund who this year is celebrating their 40th anniversary with WeiWei art pieces, which will be in New York City From October 12 to February 11th 2017.
Weiwei will be here to promote his new movie, Human Flow, a documentary about global refugee and migrant crisis. Standing in front of the sculpture I’m here with Rosanna Roberts asking her how she feels about the installation.
“I think to promote like a sense of awareness and remind us that there is a lot going on in the background right now.”
Another pounder of the massive structure Robert Latchet, a private investment owner in New York City gives his opinion.
“I think it’s really interesting especially what I know about the artist and his version of using art as protest and sort of social conversation,”
“Also that he’s like there is an homage to Dadaism and Marcel Duchamp in this one and to men in like an area that’s in quite close proximity to the gay village, I mean or what was once the gay village, is interesting to combined I mean it’s interesting to combined all these hot button issues and to provide a point of awareness and I mean I think New York in general is a city that is very supportive and open of all of these issues, but just to have that constant reminder I think is important,”
Coming onto the stage to introduce Weiwei, is Director and chief curator of the Public Art Fund Nicholas Baume.
“Welcome to the launch of Good Fences Make good Neighbors.”
“It responses to: architecture, to landscape, to monuments, to transportation, infrastructure, to advertising platforms embracing all of them so that the work can literally grow out of the city and all of the works return to the theme of the fence, which is elaborated in very different ways it’s inspired by his response to the political and social impulse to divide people from each other.”
“Washington square is a very special place I think here the spirits of activism of creativity of diversity and free expression is absolute essential New York City, is a place that was built by immigrants this is who we are this monument the arch represents democracy and freedom it also a symbolic door way to the city, Weiwei, arch shows us that that freedom is something we can’t take for granted that a doorway can also be untrusted, but then Weiwei, cuts a passages through the center in the silhouette of two united figures this is an empowering message for all of us.”
Weiwei enters the stage with no umbrella in hand, personal assistants run to the stage to hand him an umbrella, but he politely declines, as he is about to speak technical difficulty arises, the microphone turns off, but this doesn’t deter him.
“Thank you so much for standing in the rain, this is New York City, we have to show our power, thank you and I encourage you to go and see the film Human Flow Thank you said, Weiwei.
We are in a critical time in the world and it is important not to forget those who are in need we must stand together and help one another as humanitarians, Weiwei is a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves he isn’t afraid to stand up, protest and start social conversation about serious issues.
This is Glenn Manacker reporting for Dollars and Sense.