The artist tells The Art Newspaper that his show has 'effectively [been] cancelled', noting that the decision was taken 'to avoid further disputes and for my own well-being'.
Not clear whether Ai's show will now be rescheduled. A spokesperson for Lisson Gallery says the matter is 'still in discussion', with lead times for exhibitions often stretching into years.
We together agreed that now is not the right time to present his new body of work. There is no place for debate that can be characterised as antisemitic or Islamophobic at a time when all efforts should be on ending the tragic suffering in Israeli and Palestinian territories, as well as in communities internationally. Ai Weiwei is well-known for his support of freedom of expression and for championing the oppressed, and we deeply respect and value our longstanding relationship with him.
[
Collection
]
[
|
...
]