WeiweiCam is a self-
surveillance
Surveillance is the monitoring of behavior, many activities, or information for the purpose of information gathering, influencing, managing or directing. This can include observation from a distance by means of electronic equipment, such as c ...
project by artist
Ai Weiwei, in China, that went live on April 3, 2012, exactly one year after the artist's detention by Chinese officials at
Beijing Airport
Beijing, as the capital and one of the four municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a transport hub, with a sophisticated network of roads, railways and two major airports. Five completed ring roads encircle the city with nine ...
.
At least fifteen surveillance cameras monitor his house in
Beijing which, according to Ai, makes it the most-watched spot of the city.
Description
He described his decision to put himself under further surveillance as a symbolic way to increase transparency in the Chinese government.
WeiweiCam consisted of four webcams that sent a live 24-hour feed publicly viewable from the website weiweicam.com.
46 hours after the site went live Ai Weiwei was instructed to shut down WeiweiCam by Chinese authorities.
Reception and legacy
During the time weiweicam.com was live it received 5.2 million views.
WeiweiCam was included in "What We Watch", an exhibition on net art and surveillance, at COFAspace Gallery, UNSW College of Fine Arts.
What We Watch Exhibition
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Until June 30, 2013, WeiweiCam was seen at th
Germany. In the context of the exhibition "Freedom!" the visitors can contact the artist directly via Twitter.
See also
*Caochangdi
Caochangdi () was an urban village and renowned arts district located in the Chaoyang District, Beijing, Chaoyang District of northeast Beijing at the intersection of the 5th Ring Road and Airport Expressway. Translated as "grasslands" in Mandarin, ...
* List of works by Ai Weiwei
References
External links
"WeiweiCam Projections"WeiweiCam painting
{{Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei
Video art
Arts in China
2012 in art