Ai Weiwei Reflects on Momentous Return to China and New Censorship Book
In a revealing interview, renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei has opened up about his first visit to China in more than ten years, a trip fraught with personal and political significance. The artist, globally celebrated as a prominent critic of the Chinese Communist regime, detailed the complex calculations behind his decision to return home with his son to see his elderly mother.
A Heavy Decision and a Poetic Homecoming
Before boarding the flight, Ai recounted memories of his 2011 detention, where authorities threatened he would spend thirteen years in custody on fabricated charges. "They said, 'When you come out, your son won't recognise you.' That was very heavy and really the only moment that touched me," he revealed. Ultimately detained for eighty-one days in a windowless cell, Ai now has a seventeen-year-old son, Lao, whom he felt no longer needed his constant guidance, prompting the risky journey.
"People said, 'Are you scared?' I said, 'No, why should I be scared?' I'm Chinese. I have a Chinese passport. I'm entitled to go back and see my mum. So I went back," Ai stated defiantly. The trip proved surprisingly smooth; after a brief interview at the airport, he was released into a country whose familiar sensations offered profound comfort. He poetically described the experience as "a piece of jade broken that you can put back together because it matches very well. Everything's so familiar: the light, the temperature, the people."
New Book: On Censorship and State Control
Ai Weiwei is currently promoting his new ninety-page polemic, On Censorship, which delves into the nature of state control, artificial intelligence, and surveillance. With a life shaped by authoritarianism—growing up in labour camps after his poet father's exile, enduring detention, and facing state threats—Ai brings firsthand authority to the subject. He defines censorship as "the exercise of power over intellectual space," labelling it both "an indispensable tool of mental enslavement and a fundamental source of political corruption."
The artist warns that liberal societies often mistakenly believe censorship is rare, noting, "but people forget that even on sunny days, shadows are inevitable." His artworks, such as the one hundred million hand-painted porcelain seeds in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall or the fourteen thousand lifejackets cloaking Berlin's Konzerthaus, dramatically challenge official narratives and underscore his activism.
Surprising Views on Western Censorship and Politics
In the interview, Ai expressed perplexing arguments, including his defence of a 2018 selfie with far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) leader Alice Weidel. He acknowledged that her political demands "could be wrong" but praised her as "more rational than other political opponents in Germany." Regarding her anti-immigrant rhetoric, Ai remarked, "Some states don't even accept one [immigrant] and Germany accepts 1.2 million, which is a pretty generous decision. So if they change the policy and they want to limit it, then there is nothing wrong."
Ai's perspective on China has also shifted; he recently described the nation as "in an upward phase," highlighting technological progress and increased personal freedoms, while criticising the West for losing "ethical authority" and descending into unrecognisable chaos. When asked if he is now toeing the party line, Ai responded, "My position with China started before I could recognise myself as an individual. I grew up in this black hole with my father."
Allegations of Censorship in the West
Ai Weiwei alleges experiencing covert censorship in Western countries, citing an incident with the Royal Academy in London. After a controversial tweet about the persecution of Jewish people, an exhibition of his works was cancelled, and a vote was held on revoking his honorary membership. Although he won the vote and was asked to write an article on free speech for the RA's magazine, he claims the piece was later dropped due to lack of space.
"I have several cases like this," Ai added. "Happens in Britain and in Germany." He argues in his book that Western censorship can be "more covert, more deceptive and more corrosive" than in authoritarian regimes. The Royal Academy disputes his account, stating the decision was made before submission and emphasising their commitment to plurality and free thinking.
Reflections on a Shattered World
Looking ahead, Ai paints a grim picture of a world where self-expression and free speech are increasingly threatened. "I think today we are living in a complicated world, where life is more like a shattered mirror," he mused. "It reflects the reality, but the reality can be a broken reality." When asked if his trip to China restored his faith in humanity, he paused before responding, "If we were in the time of the Tang dynasty, someone like me would go back and write beautiful poetry. But not today. I just take a few selfies."
On Censorship by Ai Weiwei is published by Thames & Hudson, offering a provocative exploration of power, control, and the fragile state of intellectual freedom in the modern era.
