Contemporary artist Ai Weiwei finally released on bail.
Ai Weiwei has been released on bail. According to a news report on Xinhuanet.com, Ai Weiwei “has been released on bail because of his good attitude in confessing his crimes as well as a chronic disease he suffers from.”
Bu according to the BBC, the artist's "family members have told BBC Chinese they know nothing of his reported release".
The contemporary artist was detained by the Chinese authorities on 3rd April 2011 while trying to board a flight from Beijing to Hong Kong. And he hadn't been seen or heard from since.
Xinhuanet.com also claims that "the decision comes also in consideration of the fact that Ai has repeatedly said he is willing to pay the taxes he evaded, police said. The Beijing Fake Cultural Development Ltd., a company Ai controlled, was found to have evaded a huge amount of taxes and intentionally destroyed accounting documents, police said."
His arrest caused protests across the world, including the Free Ai Weiwei campaign, as well as a petition started by the Solomon R Guggenheim Foundation, and signed by over 130,000 people, including the likes of Julia Peyton-Jones and Sir Nicholas Serota.
Weiwei currently has two exhibitions on in London - at Lisson Gallery and Somerset House. He is also well known in the UK for his installation of porcelain sunflower seeds in the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern.
Read Tom's review of Ai Weiwei at Lisson Gallery and Somerset House.
Ai Weiwei is at the Lisson Gallery until 16th July 2011.
Circle of Animals is at Somerset House until 26th June 2011.
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