It was ironic that on the weekend the National Museum of China opened an exhibition on the Enlightenment, one of its best-known contemporary artists was detained by the authorities for alleged economic crimes.
The Art of the Enlightenment is a joint exhibition put together by the Berlin State Museum, Dresden State Art Collections and the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich. Although it presents a rather narrow view of the Enlightenment period, its stated aim is to encourage dialogue and understanding between China and Europe.
What lies behind this initiative is the idea of soft power and cultural diplomacy. To put it crudely, China gets some good press for its newly redeveloped national museum and Germany gets a toehold in a burgeoning market for its cultural and other goods (it’s not a coincidence that the exhibition is sponsored by BMW).
The arrest of Ai Weiwei rather undermines this concept of cultural diplomacy and raises serious questions for UK museums that have shows planned in China over the next few years.
The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) are due to hold a joint exhibition, under the aegis of the British Council, in China next year.
It is significant that while Tate joined the international protest against Weiwei’s arrest by putting “Release Ai Weiwei” on the lightbox at the top of Tate Modern, the V&A response is a rather weak-kneed statement that says it hopes he will be released soon – despite the fact that Weiwei’s Dropping the Urn artwork will be on display at the V&A in the autumn.
Weiwei has spoken out in favour of universal human rights. He has used his position as an artist to expose inequality and corruption, and he has risked his freedom to do so.
It’s now time for those in positions of power in the cultural sector to take a stand. And it is time for a different model of international partnership to be constructed.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal
The Art of the Enlightenment is a joint exhibition put together by the Berlin State Museum, Dresden State Art Collections and the Bavarian State Painting Collections in Munich. Although it presents a rather narrow view of the Enlightenment period, its stated aim is to encourage dialogue and understanding between China and Europe.
What lies behind this initiative is the idea of soft power and cultural diplomacy. To put it crudely, China gets some good press for its newly redeveloped national museum and Germany gets a toehold in a burgeoning market for its cultural and other goods (it’s not a coincidence that the exhibition is sponsored by BMW).
The arrest of Ai Weiwei rather undermines this concept of cultural diplomacy and raises serious questions for UK museums that have shows planned in China over the next few years.
The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) are due to hold a joint exhibition, under the aegis of the British Council, in China next year.
It is significant that while Tate joined the international protest against Weiwei’s arrest by putting “Release Ai Weiwei” on the lightbox at the top of Tate Modern, the V&A response is a rather weak-kneed statement that says it hopes he will be released soon – despite the fact that Weiwei’s Dropping the Urn artwork will be on display at the V&A in the autumn.
Weiwei has spoken out in favour of universal human rights. He has used his position as an artist to expose inequality and corruption, and he has risked his freedom to do so.
It’s now time for those in positions of power in the cultural sector to take a stand. And it is time for a different model of international partnership to be constructed.
Sharon Heal, editor, Museums Journal
sharon@museumsassociation.org
www.twitter.com/sharonheal