McBride Values Day 2015 by Dunham McBride

Ai Weiwei

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-08 16:56:59 UTC

He is unique in that he was not an artist in the system

He outwardly critiques Chinese society and government

Blossom

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 17:58:11 UTC

Ai Weiwei, in his "Blossom" exhibit at Alcatraz, transforms a former prison hospital into a display of porcelain blossoms. In doing this, he conveys an interesting message to the imprisoned. And, as an individual who has been persecuted by his government, he has done so with a great amount of empathy. Ai Weiwei presents these flours much like the flours that are typically sent to patients in hospitals, and in doing so he acknowledges that victim aspect of being imprisoned.

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 17:59:15 UTC

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 18:07:43 UTC

Wikipedia Bio

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 18:10:13 UTC

Ai Weiwei (Chinese: 艾未未; pinyin: Ài Wèiwèi, English pronunciation (help·info); born 28 August 1957 in Beijing) is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist.^[1]^[2] Ai collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics.^[3] As a political activist, he has been highly and openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. He has investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of so-called "tofu-dreg schools" in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.^[4] In 2011, following his arrest at Beijing Capital International Airport on 3 April, he was held for 81 days without any official charges being filed; officials alluded to their allegations of "economic crimes".^[5]

Movie Notes 12/17/14

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 18:19:13 UTC

His father was persecuted by the communist regime, in China. And, Ai is persecuted by the Chinese government, today. In both cases, the greater hatred seems to be from the people rather than the government. There is a systematized hatred of anyone who criticizes the country. He is clearly committed to fixing his country, as he remains in China, despite being physically threatened on a regular basis.

There seems to be a universally accepted truth in China: that the nationalistic aspect of society will never disappear. Even of those who recognize that their is injustice, very few actively protest it. Unlike in our society, there is very little pushing him to continue - other then his own will.

dunham_mcbride — 2014-12-17 18:28:10 UTC

Illumination

dunham_mcbride — 2015-01-11 18:25:20 UTC

The illumination exhibit was the most striking to me. The treatment of the insane has been, in my opinion, one of the most abhorrent systems in or country's history. These cells, in particular, we very troublesome as they seemed to actually encourage insanity. Their original use was to hold Hopi men who wouldn't send their children to state schools. This punishment was not only disproportionate, it was inhumane.

In class we discuss unjust systems, I can think of no better example than this. Those men, who had already been forced from their lands, were then tortured in the most heinous of ways.

I found the tibetan chants especially interesting because chanting and meditating are typically used as a way for the mind to exist in the body but not be restricted by the body. This symbolism is similar to the assertive nonviolence of Jesus in that it goes around the system rather than through it.