Huge Win For Weiwei, LEGO Has Changed Their Policy On Political Projects
Political activist and contemporary art force de’ jour Ai Weiwei has had a big win for free speech and artistic autonomy, with LEGO announcing their policies have been amended to no longer police the intended use of their bricks in bulk orders.
The announcement is particularly significant, as LEGO refused to provide Ai with the building bricks for a work created for current Warhol/ Weiwei exhbition at the National Gallery of Victoria. For a piece highlighting Australian activists, human rights and free speech, Lego rejected the request by Ai to provide blocks on the grounds that they were to be placed in a “political context”. The artist instead crowd-funded the LEGO used, with thousands of bricks donated by fans and enthusiasts.
But the toy company has now announced they will be abandoning its policy of disallowing bulk orders of its bricks if used to express political views or used within a political context. The company said in a statement on Tuesday:
“Previously, when asked to sell very large quantities of LEGO bricks for projects, the LEGO Group has asked about the thematic purpose of the project.”
From now on, LEGO will not question the “thematic purpose” of the use of the bricks. Instead, for bulk orders they will just need to address, “if they intend to display their LEGO creations in public”.
#AiWeiWei for the win #Lego #legos #art #creativefreedom @aiww #FreeArt by rafaelsolis pic.twitter.com/WS5ggJ9Igd
— gia (@nottinbutaig) January 13, 2016
The toy company changed its policy, in light of examples of the bricks being used in political works before, which has made their viewpoint to be “perceived as inconsistent.” One of the major inconsistencies is that Ai has used LEGO many times before in his works. Including in his 2014 work Trace at San Fransisco’s former Alcatraz prison, where the blocks were used to feature portraits of people including Edward Snowden, Nelson Mandela and Aung San Suu Kyi.
Soz, Lego. Can’t get more political then that.
The move will also quash some of controversial arguments Ai was putting forward, in regards to the company not supporting the artist because of business negotiations with China, as a Legoland is opening in Shanghai. Ai has long had a tepid history with the Chinese government and is a vocal opponent against Chinese censorship.
Ai celebrated the only suitable way…
Never change. LEGO FOR ALL.