A rendering of one of the installations.
Famous Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will install a series of fences throughout the city in October as part of an art project called “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors” after a line in a Robert Frost poem.
“I was an immigrant in New York in the 1980s for ten years and the issue with the migration crisis has been a longtime focus of my practice,” says Ai Weiwei. “The fence has always been a tool in the vocabulary of political landscaping and evokes associations with words like ‘border,’ ‘security,’ and ‘neighbor,’ which are connected to the current global political environment. But what’s important to remember is that while barriers have been used to divide us, as humans we are all the same. Some are more privileged than others, but with that privilege comes a responsibility to do more.”
Ai Weiwei: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors will be on view October 12, 2017 – February 11, 2018 at sites throughout the city, including. Doris C. Freedman Plaza at the Southeast corner of Central Park will host one of the installations. Learn more here.
Can NOT wait. Excellent.
I CAN wait FOREVER
So you say
Why- Why ?
to
Wei-Wei??
Sure…and that Sherman tank in front of the Vatican is the PopeMobile
This country is not privileged anymore we owe more then we can payback. I do like the fence would look nice on the Border.
Just what we don’tneed more of in Central Park–more fences.
I’m all for art – but this fence is ugly and makes the aesthetic of the park horrible. Please do not install this monstrosity.
How beautifully Ai Weiwei expressed his artistic philosophy! I am looking forward to seeing the fences this fall.
I’m looking forward to seeing these creations.
Bringing the ARTS to NYC is such a welcome addition.
Obviously reactions are diverse as art is subjective.
But i think that these divergent responses are part of what makes viewing art so fascinating.
Sounds like he’s pro-fence!
This “work” does not rise to the level of achievement where the words good or bad have any meaning.
Visual Noise,
so much poison in the comments above. we’re so fortunate to live amongst so much public art. it’s not to be taken for granted. the space in the photo above rotates pieces fairly often. some are better than others, but i guess you’d never get a consensus on which.
personally, i’m excited for a large scale, multi-location project.
Unfortunately for us New Yorkers, this space has become a wall for the Public Art Fund when it puts up art works which totally block the view of those seated or coming thru the Park. The Public Art Fund could care less about letting Central Park, just be Central Park. They think they are justified in blocking this space in the name of art. Love Al Weiwei’s work but hate this placement.
Pigeons will perch all over the top of this and poop, and the only deterrent will be to install anti-pigeon spikes on top of the installment, which might be anathema to the whole project. Would love to see how that gets reconciled.
I love the efforts of the Public Art Fund and love the existence of public art anywhere. Thank you to the artists, to public officials, and to others involved in giving us public art.
Exhibit A: What’s wrong with Public Art?
Good neighbors don’t make BAD fences though.