Ai Weiwei Exhibit in New York Highlights Refugee Crisis
Jason Farago
Ai Weiwei ' s latest exhibition in New York   titled " Good Fences Make Good Neighbors  " can be spotted in areas throughout the five boroughs to bring attention of the refugees across the world   The New York Times reported . Ai   a renowned Chinese artist and human rights activist   created the pieces that are presented by the Public Art Fund   according to its website . The pieces   which went up Thursday   will remain on display throughout the city until Feb . 11 . " Inspired by the international migration crisis and current global geopolitical landscape   the exhibition transforms the security fence into a powerful social and artistic symbol with interventions across the city  " said a statement on the Public Arts Fund site . Some of the places the images   that often includes bars and various designs   can be found are the Doris C . Freedman Plaza at Central Park   the Washington Square Arch in Greenwich Village   and the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens . The fund said the images are joined by site - specific interventions on top of and in between private buildings located at 48 East 7th Street   189 Chrystie Street   248 Bowery   and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art at Astor Place . The artwork also includes a series of new flagpole - mounted works for the New York City Economic Development Corporation - managed Essex Street Market   and sculptural interventions around 10 JCDecaux bus shelters in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation . " Like his hero Duchamp   Mr . Ai has wholly erased any border between his art and his life — and there are some emergencies   among them the displacement of more human beings than any time since World War II   that this artist can only address with bluntness  "  New York Times art critic Jason Farago    wrote Thursday . " Step back   though   and look at the project in aggregate   and ' Good Fences Make Good Neighbors ' displays all the confidence and moral passion of his most important later projects  "  Farago  continued . The Public Arts Fund statement said that Ai has traveled with refugee camps around the world to gain inspiration for his project . " Ai Weiwei is unique in having combined the roles of preeminent contemporary artist   political dissident   and human rights activist in such a prominent and powerful way  " Nicholas Baume   the Public Art Fund ' s director and chief curator   said in its statement . " In many ways   ' Good Fences Make Good Neighbors ' is the culmination of his work to date . It grows out of his personal experience of ' otherness  ' his distinguished practice as both artist and architect   as well as his intensive research on the international refugee crisis and global rise of nationalism ."
Ai Weiwei ' s latest exhibition in New York   titled " Good Fences Make Good Neighbors  " can be spotted in areas throughout the five boroughs to bring attention of the refugees across the world   The New York Times reported . Ai   a renowned Chinese artist and human rights activist   created the pieces that are presented by the Public Art Fund   according to its website . The pieces   which went up Thursday   will remain on display throughout the city until Feb . 11 . " Inspired by the international migration crisis and current global geopolitical landscape   the exhibition transforms the security fence into a powerful social and artistic symbol with interventions across the city  " said a statement on the Public Arts Fund site . Some of the places the images   that often includes bars and various designs   can be found are the Doris C . Freedman Plaza at Central Park   the Washington Square Arch in Greenwich Village   and the Unisphere at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens . The fund said the images are joined by site - specific interventions on top of and in between private buildings located at 48 East 7th Street   189 Chrystie Street   248 Bowery   and The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art at Astor Place . The artwork also includes a series of new flagpole - mounted works for the New York City Economic Development Corporation - managed Essex Street Market   and sculptural interventions around 10 JCDecaux bus shelters in partnership with the New York City Department of Transportation . " Like his hero Duchamp   Mr . Ai has wholly erased any border between his art and his life — and there are some emergencies   among them the displacement of more human beings than any time since World War II   that this artist can only address with bluntness  "  New York Times art critic [TGT]    wrote Thursday . " Step back   though   and look at the project in aggregate   and ' Good Fences Make Good Neighbors ' displays all the confidence and moral passion of his most important later projects  "  Farago  continued . The Public Arts Fund statement said that Ai has traveled with refugee camps around the world to gain inspiration for his project . " Ai Weiwei is unique in having combined the roles of preeminent contemporary artist   political dissident   and human rights activist in such a prominent and powerful way  " Nicholas Baume   the Public Art Fund ' s director and chief curator   said in its statement . " In many ways   ' Good Fences Make Good Neighbors ' is the culmination of his work to date . It grows out of his personal experience of ' otherness  ' his distinguished practice as both artist and architect   as well as his intensive research on the international refugee crisis and global rise of nationalism ."