The Telegraph in London has this report from China where Ai Weiwei’s recently built Shanghai studio that cost $750,000 has been ordered to be razed:
“It’s all very strange,” Ai told The Daily Telegraph. “This guy [the mayor] flew to Beijing twice to personally invite me to build the studio and have one or two artists based there so they could build up the new art district. Now they say they want to knock it down. The local officials say the word has come from above and they’re ‘sorry, but they can’t do anything about it – you have to destroy it’, and no further explanation.” An official notice said the demolition had been ordered for failing to apply in advance to the local district office for a “project planning licence”.
Controversial Chinese artist ordered to demolish studio (Telegraph)
