blogs I've commented on

Jica
http://jvakaafi.blogspot.com/2009/05/evolution-of-fearlessness.html?showComment=1243429815252#c5180211953719886907

Ellie
http://elliecadi2009.blogspot.com/2009/04/week-7-patricia-piccinini-hello-possums.html?showComment=1243430801843#c3179767453040610954

Christine
http://christinemarie78.blogspot.com/2009/05/progress.html?showComment=1243431090148#c1507355145832086867

Liz
http://lizsartblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/lynette-wallworths-evolution-of.html?showComment=1243431491889#c5297784555849520508

Ai Weiwei is a well renowned comtemporary artiest of China, he had collaborated with the Swiss firm to design the Beijing National Stadium. The stadium's ribbon of intersecting steel resembles how bird do their nest, hence the nick name "Bird's Nest"

When they design it, Wei said that they were "empty their mind to come up with the maximum in unification of aesthetic functions and actual needs", the stadium's outer ribbons of structural steel resemble the woven twigs of a bird's nest. The bird's nest, also represents the launch of a phoenix, bringing redemption. And for a rising power like China whose history, despite the nation's colossal population and size, includes numerous foreign invasions — that kind of signal is no accident (Architectureweek.com). The stadium was build with a budget of 2.6 billion yuan and stand at 70 meters high, 320 meters long and can hold nearly 100,00 people.

But then with the Olympics coming up, Wei has stayed away completely from the game, as he feels the government merely use it for their own propaganda rather than the natural process of going to democracy and freedom of speech among citizens.

Rather than show the world about "new" China with the One World, One Dream, Wei feels that it is still same old same old deep inside the government. "When I helped conceive Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium, I wanted it to represent freedom, not autocracy: China must change ... We must bid farewell to autocracy"

My take is that when he joins the team to design the stadium, he was hoping that China would become more open, as in reborn again like the phoenix, which steps up toward democracy and respect human right. That hope seems to be dashed, hence why he don't want to relate himself to his work the "Bird's Nest", which he filled it with hopes of freedom, but now it seem more like barb-wired nest to him.


Flora Chung, China's Olympic Crossroads: Birds nest designer Ai Weiwei on Beijing's "Pretend Smile", The New York Times.
http://olympics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/08/04/chinas-olympic-crossroads-birds-nest-designer-ai-weiwei-on-beijings-pretend-smile/

Brian Libby, Beijing's Bird Nest - Architecture, Architectureweek.com
http://www.architectureweek.com/2008/0917/building_3-2.html

Damien Hirst’s 2007 sculpture, For the Love of God, is a human skull encrusted with some 8000 plus flawless diamonds and cast in platinum, and a pear shaped pink diamonds on the center of the forehead



The skull is based on the real skull that is bought in a shop in Islington, which is thought to be a 1700~1800 European, the diamonds are said to be ethically sourced


The theme of Hirst’s work is about the life and death, an object that addresses the transience of human existence. ‘The skull is out of this world, celestial almost’. ‘It proclaims victory over decay. At the same time’, Fuchs continues, ‘it represents death as something infinitely more relentless. Compared to the tearful sadness of a vanitas scene, the diamond skull is glory itself.' (whitecube.com)

Why diamonds? Hirst thought that while doing with diamonds is quite expensive, and its carry some kind of heavy burden in financial terms and security around the work, which also link to death itself, which is a heavy burden. Thus he make the sculpture to have a laugh about the death (NYtimes.com)


The work itself have been to controversial since it’s expedition, as some have call it a expensive stunts, vacuous nonsense. While others think
"As a piece of workmanship it is very good, but it is just window dressing. As art it is extremely dull." (Dailymail.co.uk)

I think the work is in the realm of bizarre work, but I do agree the about the aspect of death, as in heavy burden. As we only have 1 life, so it is quite precious as there are no 2n chances, once you died you stay dead, zip, nothing. Your wealth and worth is not going with you after you dead. And because of diamonds are pricy, which the security must be tight to prevent it from being stolen, thus adding burdens to security guard. Another thing with diamonds and their value in relation to human life, as a life is pretty much priceless, the high amount of value for Love of God cannot emphasis more than enough.

Though one thing I do not agree on making it as investment for growing money, that is like an investment, that should leave to the financial market and brokers where you might get better returns and faster. An art should be bought by people who appreciate the art for its worth.



Reference:
Hirst unveils £50m diamond skull
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6712015.stm>

Hoxton Square and Mason's Yard, Damien Hirst: Beyond Belief
http://www.whitecube.com/exhibitions/beyond_belief/

WILLIAM SHAW, The Iceman Cometh
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/03/magazine/03Style-skull-t.html

ARTHUR MARTIN, Damien Hirst unveils his jewels in the crown, a £50m diamond-studded skull
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-459204/Damien-Hirst-unveils-jewels-crown-50m-diamond-studded-skull.html