News
This weekend, the usually free National Gallery of Art might not be. In fact, it could not be open at all. With the possibility of a government shutdown looming as a result of disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over the national budget, public museums may be the first institutions to cl
![Ai Weiwei Watch: Guggenheim Petition, Tate Sign, Street Art Response, Harvard Protest [UPDATE 3]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/04/aiweiweiliveblog_2.jpg)
News
Today Hyperallergic is launching Ai Weiwei Watch, a permanent liveblog of the events and issues surrounding Chinese artist Ai Weiwei's arrest. Our initial two liveblogs covered the artist's detainment and early news, but the controversy has gone international, provoking diplomatic reactions from Fra
News
Though he is the most visible victim, artist Ai Weiwei's arrest is only one symptom of a greater crackdown on free expression in China that has been deemed the “Big Chill.” Other victims detained and arrested include writers, lawyers and Chinese cultural figures.
![Ai Weiwei's Status Still Unknown; Studio Occupied by Police [LIVEBLOG]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/04/awwarrest2_home.jpg)
News
On Sunday morning Beijing time, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was arrested and detained at the airport on his way to Hong Kong. We haven't heard from the artist since. Ai's studio remains occupied by police forces though the larger neighborhood of Caochangdi is unaffected at present. Studio assistants, i
![BREAKING: Ai Weiwei Arrested and Detained in Beijing, Current Status Unknown [LIVEBLOG]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/04/awwarrest_home.jpg)
News
Approximately 14 hours ago just before a planned flight to Hong Kong, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has been arrested and detained at the Beijing airport. 10 hours ago, police raided Ai's studio on the outskirts of Beijing. Ai's status is now unknown: his phone is off, and power has been cut to the studi
Opinion
Though the National Museum of Afghanistan is nowhere near running at full capacity and still hasn't recovered many of the artifacts lost from its collections in the upheaval of the past decade, a touring exhibition of some of the museum's signature works is bringing both funding and visibility to a
![Is Japanese Radiation Bad For Art? [UPDATE]](/content/images/size/w600/hyperallergic-newspack-s3-amazonaws-com/uploads/2011/03/radiationjapan_home.jpg)
News
According to the Japanese Chunichi Shimbun newspaper, an exhibition called The Birth of French Impressionism set to open at the Prefectural Art Museum in Hiroshima City on April 5 has been canceled due to the cancellation of art loans from France. The loans seem to have been canceled because of fear
News
In reaction to exploitative conditions for construction laborers at the site of the upcoming Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, an international group of artists and art world figures are boycotting the Guggenheim, refusing to “participate in museum events or sell work to the museum,” reports the New York Times
Opinion
At the Winfield House in London, US ambassador to England Louis B. Susman and wife Marjorie are using their diplomatic powers for artistic good, showcasing modern American artists in the Neo-Georgian space. What's interesting about this display of American artistic diplomacy, with Mark Rothko, Ellsw
Opinion
What's your sign? Chinese artist and international icon Ai Weiwei will be bringing his own custom-designed set of Zodiac sculptures to New York City's Plaza Hotel from May 2 through July 15, reports the New York Times. The works seem harmless, but they have a historical context that gives them a dee
Opinion
February 28 and March 1 marked Museum Advocacy Day, an event organized by the American Association of Museums to give people the opportunity to show their support for community museums and push for their consideration in government. The #MuseumAdvocacy hashtag became a viral venue for museum memorie
Books
Scott Blake's rectangular, black two-inch wide and one-inch tall flipbook looks pretty harmless. It's small enough to fit in a pocket and has two normal, plastic covers bound by staples. The shock comes on the first flip through the book: it presents a moving image of the airplane hitting the second