This n' That: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

© Ai Weiwei studio

By Samantha Milowitz

Artist Ai Weiwei is designing masks to raise money to help those affected by COVID-19.

Ai Weiwei is one of many artists using his art to help raise funds for those affected by COVID-19. Weiwei has begun designing surgical masks, featuring some of his most well know pieces of work as well as symbols reflecting his campaign for human rights. Weiwei’s masks will be sold on Ebay and all proceeds will be divided up between the Human Rights Watch, Refugees International, and Doctors without borders, all organizations affected by the pandemic. Weiwei has always been an artist that is outspoken about human rights. Some of the masks depict images like surveillance cameras and handcuffs, speaking to our country’s abuse of surveillance and control. While the masks are being sold for a great cause, it is also a rare opportunity to witness Weiwei’s artwork up close. Weiwei is selling single masks for $50 and sets of four for $300.

Photo by Bharat Patil on Unsplash

Museums in France make plans to reopen this summer.

While the pandemic continues to rage across the world, many countries are planning to reopen or have already begun to reopen. France announced that they will begin to reopen their museums between June and July, as other European countries have made moves to reopen their museums as well. The Louvre’s annex museum announced that it will reopen June 3, the Louvre will open June 6, the Château de Versailles will open June 6, and the Musée d’Orsay will open June 23, creating a gradual reopening strategy. Each museum must also come up with a reopening plan that will still ensure social distancing policies: all visitors will have to wear masks and keep six-feet apart from all other visitors. However, social distancing presents less of an issue this summer since many tourists have cancelled their trips, eliminating the tourist population from the museums. The Louvre specifically has refunded over 700,000 tickets for this coming summer, so far.

Photo by Joseph Chan on Unsplash

In Hong Kong, artists and intellectuals signed a petition to protest new legislation that limits free speech.

A legislative plan was passed Thursday in China that severely limits people’s freedom of speech and expression. This piece of legislation was initially passed through China’s National People’s Congress and will be carried out in September. This piece of legislation limits basic rights including freedom of press and publication, freedom of assembly, freedom of demonstration, and the freedom to join trade unions. More than 1,500 people signed a petition to protest the legislation including many well known artists like David Diao and academics such as Claudia Breger and Alice Echols. This new legislation limits artists specifically as it limits freedom of expression. If this legislation is put into action, it will affect all artists in China. As Hong Kong heals from COVID-19, protests have begun again to fight this new legislation. On Wednesday, 200 people were arrested at the most recent protest, but citizens continue to fight for their basic freedoms.

Tristan Eaton, Human Kind (2020). Courtesy of the artist and SpaceX.

SpaceX commissions Tristian Eaton, street artist, to create artwork that will be brought up into space.

This past Saturday, SpaceX, company founded by Elon Musk, sent a rocket into space. SpaceX has made history, as it is the first private company to send astronauts to space. Aboard this flight was also pieces of indestructible artwork, created by Tristian Eaton, a street artist. Eaton was asked to create works of art that would go with the astronauts and serve as inspiration for them as they embark on their journey. There are five pieces of artwork in total, one for each astronaut as more are set to take off later this week. Each piece of artwork is made of two-sided gold, brass, and aluminum, materials that can survive the flight to space. They are also all double-sided, representing the past and the future of America. The drawings on the golden plates serve to remind the astronauts how much history they have behind them that has brought them to this point, as well as the great future they still have in front of them.