China and Ai Weiwei: Britain's art establishment is about to walk into a minefield

Anish Kapoor’s refusal to exhibit in China next year, in protest at the detention of Ai Weiwei, is a blow to the British Council’s “UK Now” project, which plans to exhibit British arts in 12 cities across China from April-November 2012.

The idea is to capitalise on London taking over the Olympic torch from the Chinese and deepen cross-cultural exchanges between our two countries. The detention of Ai Weiwei must be very inconvenient for the organisers, but I wonder if this project will be able to shake the ever-lengthening shadow of Ai, whose work lit up the Tate Modern’s turbine halls so spectacularly this year in London. more.......