Everything is ready. Champagne, trays with Spanish jam, a group of 10 young waiters in uniform and everyone ready to serve the guests. In the entrance, some paper photographs, in which we can make out the name Marie Claire, are waiting to receive the public. Once we have crossed the hall and we go up the stairs coming up to an amazing 2009 David Delfin’s dress, we find at the end of the corridor another perfect dress, a 2010 black Hannibal Laguna’s model with red flowers. On the right, two little lounges.

On the first one, the table with glasses; on the second one, a photocall. Where are we? We are at Cerralbo Museum, where we are celebrating the opening of “Fashion is a dream,” a unique exposition which commemorates the most admired Spanish fashion designer’s 25 years work. The exhibition remembers the work of several generations, since Balenciaga and Pertegaz, to Victorio & Lucchino, Hannibal Laguna and Miguel Palacio. The most of them, were at the opening party last week, and Toonari Post was there to catch the moment of exaltation and enjoyment of Spanish fashion.

Famous people were arriving. Daniel Rabaneda and Hannibal Laguna, some of the first famous in posing on the photocall. After Ágatha follow Amaya Arzuaga, Purificación García, Juanjo Oliva, and many other important figures, everyone answering media questions.

“I still have the same illusion and passion that I had 30 years ago and I think that this is very important in design,” Purificación García said, satisfied with the exposition. “I don’t like talking about crisis, I prefer to talk about changes. I believe that designers have to be more involved, to risk and to insist more on quality-price ratio.”

Some value the importance of the event as the commemoration of 25 years of work, others, the originality of the scenario, and the most of them, the organization and procedure of the exposition, as it is the case of Juanjo Oliva: “It is very well organized. It is a real context, not present, but the museum is a good company, very pleasant.”

Everyone seemed to have fun and enjoy this unusual scenario, a 19th century palace-museum in the middle of Madrid, and among those present we found to Lourdes Vaquero, museum Cerralbo’s director, to whom we directed some questions about this initiative. “The idea is to emulate parties which were celebrated in 19th century…we wanted that every dress fit with pieces of each room,” Vaquero said. “We have an extraordinary potential in fashion, we have to boost Spanish brand through our designers. In the 16th century Spain was the country that set trends in all Europe, and we have to achieve that Spain set trends again”.

The night was full of fashion and glamour, showed for example in a elegant Sybilla dress which prevails on the dance hall as the symbol of this exhibition, and led the way to an exposition that will be open to public in the Museo Cerralbo of Madrid until January 13 to every fashion lover.

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Carlos Ortega Delgado is a Colombian painter who specializes in the art of watercolors. Much of his education was received in Guayaquil, Ecuador, although he currently lives in Bogota. This painter often participates in the most important exhibitions of paintings in Colombia.

Toonari Post (TP): Tell us a little bit about yourself and your career.

Carlos Ortega Delgado (COD): Well, I am from Cali and I’m 37. I studied art at various sites, not only here in my city, but also in the neighboring country of Ecuador where I grew as an artist with many efforts. Due to my immediate needs to live in a foreign country when I was 21 years old, I began to paint in the embankment of the beautiful city of Guayaquil.

Once back to my country, I started to study graphic design at the prestigious Academy of Professional Drawing, where I learned many things, and currently I’m teaching what I learned during almost three years of stay in Ecuador.

TP: How did you find your passion for painting?

COD: Since my childhood, when my parents began to notice my penchant for artwork and manipulating the clay. I made incredible things like Christ paints and religious images. Somewhat surprising for a child of 7 years.

It was at that moment, when my parents decided to give me unconditional support to a successful career.

TP: Which painters have been the greatest influence in your life?

COD: There are several painters, but the most influential have been the great Colombian artist Luis Caballero. Another is the great Spanish artist Joaquin Soroya from the nineteenth-century, and now I have a significant influence from many watercolor artists who are the major figures in watercolor in the world, such as Steve Hanks.

TP: What kind of painting do you prefer?

COD: From watercolor, which is my specialty, I make all kinds of themes such as nudes, portraits, landscapes and so forth.

Commonly, I try to leave a message of reflection about the problems that weigh down our country.

TP: Why do you like the style of watercolors?

COD: Once in the school, I had the opportunity to meet a great teacher who introduced me to this lovely art. He told me that I had a lot of talent to be a great watercolorist. From there, I began to deepen into this technique, then I started to investigate its secrets and its greatest exponents.

TP: How do you know when an artwork is done?

COD: Never a work of art will be completed. Well, personally, no matter how beautiful that I see a painting; I will always have a “but,” and for that reason there will always be something missing to make this come to perfection.

TP: It is well known that Colombia is a country where the activity of artists is undervalued by society. Tell me, how have you developed your profession this type of situation?

COD: Actually, it was not easy. But I’ll tell you; sometimes you have that angel and destiny, even if you are not the best in the guild to achieve transcendence in this profession. But my merit, I think, is not giving up to my job, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

Another detail is to know how to look up contacts and sell.

TP: What advice would you give to young people who want to develop their art?

COD: Well, if they feel it in their heart; they need to have perseverance, and never give up for the difficult conditions in our country. Anyway, there is a famous saying that says: “There is no evil that lasts 100 years, there’s no body that can resist it,” and in the future in our country, conditions will change; and those who have managed to stay on the road to their dream of being great artists will achieve the greatest success of all. If it is not to achieve a work of art, it is making their lives art for art’s sake.

Image Courtesy of  http://acuarelasmipasion.blogspot.com

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NEW YORK, U.S.A. — The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum announced July 9 that First Lady Michelle Obama will celebrate the 2012 National Design Awards Friday, July 13, with a White House luncheon for the winners of the awards. In support of the First Lady’s emphasis on education and outreach to the Washington, D.C., community, the award winners will participate in an education program for local high school students from 9 to 11 AM in the Robert and Arlene Kogod Courtyard at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Mrs. Obama serves as the honorary patron for this year’s National Design Awards.

“The First Lady is a powerful advocate for design innovation and education outreach, and we are truly honored to have her patronage again this year,” said Bill Moggridge, director of the museum.

The museum also announced the selection of Red Burns as this year’s Design Patron, in recognition of her outstanding support and patronage within the design community. Unlike the other awards, which are selected by a jury, the Design Patron is chosen by the museum. Burns is arts professor and chief collaborations officer for the Interactive Telecommunications Program at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. She is being recognized for her role as founder of ITP and for her innovations and achievements in the communication technology field.

The Award recipients are:

• Lifetime Achievement: Richard Saul Wurman
• Design Mind: Janine Benyus
• Design Patron: Red Burns
• Corporate and Institutional Achievement: Design that Matters
• Architecture Design: Mack Scogin Merrill Elam Architects
• Communication Design: Rebeca Mendez
• Fashion Design: Thom Browne
• Interaction Design: Evan Roth
• Interior Design: Clive Wilkinson Architects
• Landscape Architecture: Stoss Landscape Urbanism
• Product Design: Scott Wilson

Founded in 1897, Cooper-Hewitt is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design. The museum presents compelling perspectives on the impact of design on daily life through active educational programs, exhibitions and publications.

Image Courtesy of   Barack Obama

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East Hampton, U.S.A. — The Retreat, a non-profit organization serving victims of domestic violence for the past 25 years, is pleased to announce their 4th Annual Juried Art Show. In the previous three years of the Juried Art Show the Retreat has garnished both national and international attention by reaching artists who have submitted works for consideration as far as South Africa, San Paolo, Brazil, the Midwest, and the entire Eastern seaboard. The message is clear: artists from diverse backgrounds and cultures are showing they care and are coming together to try to end domestic violence.

The show benefits the Retreat’s Domestic Violence Services and is open to all artists with work in Photography, Painting, 2D, 3D, and Sculpture (no video art). The work cannot be larger than 24″ x 36″.

The deadline to enter is August 1, 2012 . Entry fee is $50 per entry, limit 3 entries (1 entry is $50, 2 is$100, and 3 is $150). Actual work will not be judged but have to be submitted in JPEG form. For complete rules and entry form, visit http://www.hamptonsjuriedartshow.com/.

This is a chance to have artwork judged by distinguished members of the art world. The jurors of this competition are:

• Kathryn Markel – Owner of art gallery Kathryn Markel Fine Arts with locations in Bridgehamptonand New York City
• Christina Mossaides Strassfield – Museum Director/ Chief Curator of Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, NY

The top 25 entries, as decided by the jurors, will be in a group show at Richard J. Demato Fine Arts Gallery in Sag Harbor, New York, opening October 27th – November 5, 2012. The best in show will be chosen after the show is hung by the jurors and will win a solo exhibition at the gallery, at a date to be determined by the gallery owner and winner, within one year of winning. The winner of the 1st Annual Juried Art Show is now represented by a major gallery in New York City.

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Washington, U.S.A.  – You don’t have to be outdoors to have a fun summer. In fact, some of the most gratifying and enriching activities might happen within the four walls of one of our country’s 123,000 public libraries.

It’s easy to see why. Libraries offer an easy, accessible and low cost way to read books and magazines, watch videos and learn about new worlds in several languages, and enjoy a wide range of cultural events such as concerts and art exhibitions.

To receive all the benefits of a public library, you need a library card, which you can get for free at your local branch. So if you’re thinking of what to do this summer, consider these four reasons why you should visit a public library. You might be surprised!

1) Digital books. Libraries have adapted to changes in technology, and today many offer e-books which you can borrow for a certain time free of charge. You can check out e-books the same way as you do regular books, except you need an electronic device (e-reader). Some libraries even lend out e-book readers—check with your local library to see if an electronic reader is available for use. Besides print and digital books, you can also download audio books, music and videos at some libraries. Since many libraries have their own websites, you can access many of their services online from the comfort of your home.

2) Information in many languages. Generally speaking, public libraries have books in several languages. Be sure to check out the vast collections of books, magazines and music in languages other than English for adults and children. Some libraries even offer language classes or tutors for students which is especially useful for those who plan to attend summer school. You can also find books and CDs to improve English speaking and writing skills. Who would’ve thought that libraries could be a great place to learn another language!

3) Programs and events for the whole family. You don’t have to read a book to experience art and culture at your library. Many public libraries sponsor and organize different types of programs and cultural events, such as concerts, and photography and film exhibitions. Lots of libraries offer special summer programs for people of all ages, including computer classes, storytelling for children, fun and educational games, as well has reading activities, and more.

4) Specialized resources. For many people, the Internet is not a luxury but a necessity. Public libraries often have a computer room for people who do not have computers or Internet access at home –  or for those who just want to browse the web in a relaxed atmosphere where they can concentrate. Libraries also have highly skilled professionals that can help you find what you’re looking for or recommend books and resources for practically anything—including the answer to the question “how long does summer last?”

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This past Memorial Day weekend, anime fans from all over came to the International Palms Resort & Conference Center in Orlando, Florida to attend the second annual Florida Anime Experience.

For a convention in its second year, there were many things to do and see. The convention on its second day passed last year’s total attendance and proves that though it’s a small convention its popularity is growing steadfast. Toonari Post had the opportunity to attend the convention on Friday and Saturday.

Day One

As is usual for a convention, the first and last day are slow. Needless to say, there were many convention goers on Friday of all colors, ethnicities, and ages. Some were dressed in their cosplay outfits, others wore wigs of varying colors, while some fans wore geek t-shirts.

The convention had four mainstay rooms that fans could enjoy. For video game enthusiasts, there was the Japanese Game Room where attendees could play old games that were only released in Japan and not released in the U.S. such as Transformers, Sailor Moon and Card Captors.

The convention also featured the Magna Library and Tea Room where fans could sit and read magna or play board games while sitting down on mats Japanese style at a small table as they waited for their order of tea and snacks to be delivered to them. The artist alley room featured local and out-of-town artists who showcased their work for fans to purchase.

The Anime viewing room hosted by the Anime Addict Anonymous Podcast showed anime shows and movies all three days of the convention. Finally, the Vendor room hosted anime merchants and their wares for attendees to buy.

There were many panels for attendees to choose from. We attended the AMV Hour of Power!, which was hosted by fandom guest Daric “Jingoro” Jackson. This panel showcased AMV (Anime Music Videos) created by anime fans. Next up was the Anime Retro: Sailor Moon. From the magna to the anime, to the video games and live action show in Japan, this panel discussed everything Sailor Moon. The Girl’s Guide to Con-Going panel hosted by the women of the A.A.A.

Podcast put their collective 20+ con experiences together in an informative and amusing way to tell con stories from the girl’s perspective. The room was almost full for this panel and there were men in attendance as well. Another interesting event was the Otaku Speed Dating. This was fun, enjoyable and a bit socially awkward for some.

Day Two

Saturday is usually the busiest day for a three day convention and indeed that was the case for Florida Anime. The first panel of the day was the “Traveling to Japan” which was hosted by Chiaki of the Anime Addicts Anonymous Podcast. This panel was funny as well as informative. Chiaki gave out great information to would-be travelers to the land of the rising sun. She had a Power Point presentation with important information which is available on the Anime Addicts Anonymous Podcast site for fans to download.

Later in the day, the convention hosted the Robotech panel with special guests Dan Woren (the voice of Roy Fokker from Robotech ) and Fuzzy. They showed video from the series as well as interviews with the voice actors of the series.

After that, we attended the Voice Actor’s Panel which featured Dan Worren (the voice of Roy Fokker from Robotech), Terri Hawkes (the voice of Sailor Moon from Sailor Moon) and Darrel Guilbeau (the voice of Mikado from Durarara). Panelists answered questions from the audience that were about their experience in the voice acting industry, how to get into voice acting, as well as taking character voice requests from the audience.

Another great panel was the Wasabi Anime Goes to Japan which was a humorous photo slideshow of their visit to Japan and finally, the Crossplay Contest opened. Crossplay is where ladies cosplay as male anime characters and men cosplay as female characters.

Other panels of interest included the Adult Swim Anime Retrospective that was about fans favorite anime shows that aired on the cartoon block; Animusical Idol 2012, Gundam Panel Year 2, The Great Cosplay Dating Game and Otaku Insomnia Dance.

The Florida Anime Experience is a great convention to attend especially if you’re new to the convention scene. The staff is friendly and ready and able to help you and the attendee goers are pretty cool as well. We definitely will attend next year and I hope you will too.

Image Courtesy of   The Florida Anime Experience

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In the barren Black Rock Desert of Nevada, people and resources are scarce. But once a year, thousands of participants join together for the annual Burning Man Festival. 2011’s Burning Man took place from August 29 to September 5, where nearly 50,000 people from around the world created a temporary city in the desert, making it the most populous community in the county for that time.

Burning Man is not your ordinary festival with headlining performances by famous musicians. It is a distinct festival because there are no rules, aside from keeping the community safe and clean. Stepping into the temporary society of Burning Man is a unique experimental experience.

Burning Man has set foundations in creating a community where one has not existed before. Thousands of people come together with their own resources and supplies they will need to survive throughout the week in the desert. Participants in Burning Man camp out in the desert during the duration of the festival and rely on themselves as well as other people in the community.

People are encouraged to participate in the makeshift community as much or as little as they want, knowing that their own contribution to Burning Man has an impact on the festival as a whole. Strong bonds are formed and self exploration is highly encouraged.

Burning Man has strong roots in self expression and art. Each year, the festival has a theme for the artwork presented. For 2011’s Burning Man, the theme  was Rites of Passage. All across the temporary community, art installations are presented and people are often inspired to create their own art as well.

The Rites of Passage theme was chosen to signify the change people go through while attending the festival, as well as the emotions that surface when people loose cherished loved ones.

Based on the Rites of Passage theme, participants are known to dress up in costumes throughout the festival in forms of self expression. Art installations pop up around the temporary city as people enjoy their new forms of extreme reliance on themselves and one another to survive throughout the week long period. There are performances and theme camps, as well as dramatic sculptures.

The Center Camp Café is one of the popular spots where performances are ongoing. Musical performances by the participants of Burning Man usher in a wide variety of genres, including jazz, marching bands, and experimental music. The overall energy of the Café is geared to inspiring people with their talents and bringing a positive, social environment for all who wish to join in.

Comedy shows, spoken word performances, and even magicians are also highlights of the artistic acts that express their talents at the Center Camp Café.

The Fire Conclave is another key component of the dominant self expression theme throughout Burning Man. A group of people perform a scheduled fire show that signifies the spirit of life. People who attend Burning Man gather around the massive fire ceremony to dance and play drum beats while the performance goes on.

Participation in this event  are  said to bring together the community and to strengthen the bonds of its members. Burning Man takes a strong stance towards assuring that the Black Rock Desert is not negatively harmed by pollution. Burning Man believes in being a Leave No Trace Event.

Even though thousands of people come together for a week in the harsh desert, there is no trace of them once they leave. Participants of Burning Man believe in protecting the environment by continuously recycling and taking sustainable measures to make sure the Black Rock Desert remains just the way they found it.

The week long journey into Burning Man is one full of conscious awareness of the environment, ongoing art performances, and extreme self expression. Experiencing Burning Man is a unique way to participate in a festival that is truly one of a kind.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelholden/

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Thousands of talented performers and excited spectators gathered in Edinburgh, Scotland for the annual Fringe Festival.

The three week long festival took place in August and celebrated a multitude of performing arts. Everything from dance shows, concerts, comedic acts, musicals, and exhibits were performed during the Fringe Festival, making it one of the most popular creative arts festivals in the world.

The festival started in 1947, the Fringe Festival has grown tremendously since its original showcasing of just eight theater groups. The festival now welcomes thousands of acts who want to share a message with their audience.

Concerts are one of the main attractions at Fringe. Throughout the duration of the festival, hundreds of musicians lit up venues across Edinburgh with catchy tunes and had crowds singing and dancing.

Singer Adriana Spina performed at the Acoustic Music Centre at St. Brides, singing songs from her latest album entitled “Never Coming Home.” Spina performed at Fringe in the past, but 2011’s festival was the biggest so far.

The Cast, a Scottish band also took the stage at Fringe. They have received positive acclaim from UK’s popular band, Oasis. The Cast performed at The Edge Festival at HMV Picture House and was a crowd pleaser. Coming together with Fringe and the Edinburgh Comedy Festival, The Edge Festival brought over 40 musical performers to the stage, including Panic! At The Disco, Wiz Khalifa, and Jimmy Eat World.

Comedy shows throughout the three week run of Fringe were constantly bringing laughter and a light hearted atmosphere to the city. The Seven Deadly Sings  told jokes through musical comedy on topics including classical musician Beethoven and contemporary artist Elton John.

Comedian Juliet Meyers brought her stand up comedy routine entitled “Juliet Meyers: I’m Not Sparticus!” to the stage. She has received positive reviews by BBC and was one of the highlights in comedy during Fringe.

The Fringe Festival had shows for everyone, no matter what age. Children’s events were widely available throughout the festival. Children were able to watch a show called “Through the Looking Glass (And What Alice Found There),” a playful revamped performance of the classic “Alice in Wonderland.”

In an interactive dance lesson, children and parents were able to attend Flamenco for Kids, where they were able to learn and dance the flamenco. Children were encouraged to put on costumes and play instruments; a fun activity for the whole family. Dance performances were not limited for children. There was a variety of exceptional dance acts showcasing their talents at Fringe.

Migrations Cirque was one such act who danced across the stage at Gryphons Venues at The Point Hotel. Migrations Cirque is a collaboration of international dancers from places such as Germany, New York, and Hawaii. The show offered spectacular dances, movements, and sounds through an inspirational piece of work.

Swimming With My Mother was another dance performance that told the story of a mother and son relationship. Danced to the soundtrack of music from Nat King Cole, the duet piece was a favorite at Fringe.

The capital city of Scotland was bursting at the seams with creative talent during the month of August. The volume of performances made for one of the largest performing arts festivals in the world. The festival was easily accessible to the public as many performances were free. The annual Fringe Festival did not disappoint and was an exciting experience for people of all ages.

Stephen Finn / Shutterstock.com

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An abandoned bike helped two students find their calling as street artists.

In Spring 2011, Vanessa Nicholas, 25, a student at Ontario College of Art, was tired of staring at an old bike that rusted outside a storefront on campus for years.

Nicholas, with the help of friend, Caroline Macfarlane, 26, painted the bike neon pink and planted flowers in the bike’s basket. Two days later, the city of Toronto placed a removal notice on the bike, referring to it as “a bike stored on public property.”

Nicholas articulated her frustration with the situation on Facebook: “The funny thing is that this bike has been sitting in the same place for years, unnoticed by the city. However, once it is brightened and made beautiful, it’s got to go. I am determined to save the neon bike that makes so many people happy.” she said.

Nicholas said she was surprised when a large virtual group seemed to back her mission to beautify the city. The story reached the international level after BoingBoing, — a highly visited website — pick up on Nicholas and Macfarlane’s story. On June 2, BoingBoing featured Nicholas’ Facebook post.

Nicholas and Macfarlane appeared before the press outside Toronto City Hall to announce the birth of “The Good Bike Project” — a city-sponsored public art initiative that planned to place 60 decorated bikes around Toronto.

The city’s opportunistic support of Nicholas and Macfarlane’s efforts paid off. Buzz of “The Good Bike Project” has continued to spread internationally. On August 12, The Guardian in the U.K., featured a photo of the original painted neon bike that was ticketed and a description of the project.

According to Nicholas and Macfarlane’s blog, “support for the bike had poured in from locals and from people in far flung locations including Brazil and Australia.”

Nicholas said resources for the project from the City of Toronto dwindled, but she and MacFarlane have managed to keep the project moving forward. “The reaction has been so positive,” Macfarlane says. “I just feel like there’s a thirst in the city for more public art, more colour, not less.”

Learn more about: “The Good Bike Project”

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“This art is fun to look at. While it’s outsider art and folk art, it’s urban, rather than tractors and chickens” (Kathy Silvestri)

The urban art is one of the arts that struggles the most to be discovered since it is difficult for the artists to expose their art on the streets. But now, many of them have gathered together in an event, which has given them the opportunity to exposed, paint in any way and form they can, without any limitations.The adobe walls of a house located in the Historical Old Town of Cuenca, in Ecuador, has become the surface needed for 50 artists coming from diverse parts of the world such as Colombia, Chile, United States and Ecuador to expose their art, by painting the walls with graffiti’s.

The idea at first emerged with the purpose to promote and incentive the citizens to get to know a way of expressing, and communication throughout every color, symbol, and trace, said the Cuencan artist Qué Zhinín. The big house located in the Padre Aguirre street, had been rented by him and some friends, to utilize it as a type of laboratory, and work place to expose their graffiti art. In his case, he painted a scorpion with fuchsia and black colors, leaving the interpretation of it to the people’s imagination.

Among the invited artist, the exposition counts with an American artist whose nickname is Tanna. For her the urban art is her life, and she finds and relates that in Cuenca many things are occurring in the same manner than in her country. “The authorities, do not allow us to paint in the city”, she said. For her the exposition acts like an open door, for the artists to show their art.An Ecuadorian artist from Quito, known as S2, found out about this opportunity to expose the art throughout Internet, and therefore he traveled to Cuenca in order to expose his unique way of painting known as Stencil, which consists inn working with templates.

Overall, the exposition has brought interest to the people and the neighbors. One of the neighbors form the Padre Aguirre street named Ricardo Tapia, commented: “This proposal gives life to the neighborhood, and it is important that this kind of cultural manifestations are generation, since they contribute to the educate people in a fun and artistic way”. Nevertheless, this exposition also counted with paper art creations. The cuencan artist known as Mango exposed the origami figures, with earring and candelabrum forms.

Finishing the last strokes of the silhouette of a skinny woman, the Cuencan Artist Kross, said that: “Through the graffiti’s, the feelings are evoked. It is necessary to have a collectivity support, because it is a creativity exposure. The components of the colonial house, such as pillars, roofs, walls, doors, and windows were converted in art proposals, exposing different techniques and desiring to reach and communicate with the people.

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On Sunday, the internationally renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei sat down with his wife Lu Qing at an unknown location for the first time since his arrest more than 40 days ago. His wife described the meeting as tense and inhibited and told correspondents from the BBC that their unification was watched by several other people, some taking notes, and she was told not to ask too many questions and mainly talk about family and health. Mr Ai, who suffers from high blood pressure and diabetes, ensured his wife that he was being taken care of and was in good health.

The artist was detained at Beijing’s airport on his way to Hong Kong last month and has remained incommunicado ever since. He is allegedly being held under investigation for suspected “economic crimes” according to the BBC but his detention has come amid a nationwide crackdown on political dissidents following the revolts in the Middle East. Mr Ai is well known as a vocal critic of the Chinese government and has championed social activism since the earthquake in the Sichuan province, 2008. His work has delivered recurring provocations against the government which is why the greater question seems why he wasn’t detained before.

Calls for information and his release had so far led to a dead end as China’s foreign ministry has insisted, according to a BBC report, that Mr. Ai’s case has “nothing to do with human rights or freedom of expression.”

One of Mr Ai’s friends, the lawyer Liu Xiaoyuan, met with Lu on Monday and determined that the artist is most likely being held under residential surveillance within the capital. According to Chinese law, a suspect can be held in this type of detention for up to six months before a decision is made on the case, a research manager from the human rights group Dui Hua Foundation explained to the Washington Post. But in most cases, the law is used to legitimize a ‘blackout’ of the whereabouts of a suspect outside the regular detention facilities where a case must be processed within 30 days.

The American Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU officials have respectfully criticized Beijing for ‘backsliding’ on human rights – but where is the outrage?

In an online column for The Telegraph, one of Britain’s best known politicians Boris Johnson, mayor of London, raises this significant point: “Where are the candlelit vigils, the rallies for Ai Weiwei? Where are the newspaper campaigns and petitions, the why-oh-why-oh-weiweis?”

His own answer? The West has acquired an unflattering habit of tip-toeing around the Chinese government, afraid that with China slowly overtaking America as a ruling economy, any critical assessment of China’s flagrant disregard for human rights towards its own public could turn up a financial checkmate. “I had forgotten that this is the Chinese Year of the Rabbit. What we are hearing is the silence of the rabbits — and all the global rabbits are hoping that if they keep still and say nothing, they will be rewarded with nice, big, crispy wodges of Chinese lettuce.”

Madame Fu Ying, the former Chinese ambassador to London, has said that any “fuss” about Ai Weiwei’s detention by Western media is “condescending”. In response, Johnson argues that China’s free reign to behave in ways found unacceptable by the rest of the world should be regarded as even more “condescending.” Why does the governments of this world continue to allow China to export their economic superiority and culture while import is limited to raw material and currency? Why do those with the greatest power to foster freedom of existence in the Chinese society deliberately gag themselves when the chance arrises to speak up on relevant problematics?

The West rightfully opened its arms to the potential of the largest population on this planet, no question about that, but in its excitement (and greed), something seems to have been lost in translation: This is not the West, individual freedom is not a right and no matter how famous you are, the rule of the state is absolute. Admittedly, Mr Ai has been given an unusually great amount of leeway but that should only add to the cause – If this is really about taxes, he should be tried as others would in the same situation. And as far as Western leaders are concerned, they should stop hiding in the bushes and stand up for their supposed principles in the face of the Chinese dragon.

Image provided by espaciovirtual

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