Ai Weiwei's 'Good Fences Make Good Neighbors' to transform New York with security fence installations
From October 12, 2017, to February 11, 2018, Ai Weiwei is set to launch a major public art show in New York City called 'Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.' This project will feature metal-wire security fences at locations like The Cooper Union, various bus shelters in Brooklyn, Doris C. Freedman Plaza in Central Park, and Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens. Created for the Public Art Fund's 40th anniversary, it has received commendation from Mayor Bill de Blasio, who sees it as a symbol of freedom and self-expression linked to the city’s immigrant roots. The installations address issues of migration and borders, reflecting Ai Weiwei's focus on the global migrant crisis amid the heightened immigration discussions after President Trump's election.
Key facts
- Ai Weiwei created 'Good Fences Make Good Neighbors' exhibition
- Exhibition runs October 12, 2017 to February 11, 2018
- Public Art Fund commissioned the project for its 40th anniversary
- Installations include metal-wire security fences at multiple New York locations
- Locations include The Cooper Union, Brooklyn bus shelters, Doris C. Freedman Plaza, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
- Mayor Bill de Blasio praised the project's themes of freedom and self-expression
- Project addresses migration themes during U.S. immigration debates
- Exhibition responds to President Donald Trump's border wall proposal
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
Institutions
- Public Art Fund
- The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
Locations
- New York
- United States
- Brooklyn
- Central Park
- Queens
- New York City
- US-Mexico border