Ai Weiwei wants 30 tons of buttons from closing British factory
Ai Weiwei has expressed interest in acquiring 30 tons of buttons from Brown & Co Buttons, a family-run British button manufacturer that is closing after 104 years due to declining sales. The company, based in Croydon, produces buttons in plastic, metal, glass, and wood. On March 7, 2019, Amy Clare Tasker tweeted on behalf of the company to find a way to dispose of the buttons, asking for help to save them from landfill. The tweet went viral, garnering over 5,000 shares. Among the responses, Ai Weiwei replied, "Can I have them all?" According to Artnet News, negotiations are ongoing between the artist and the company. Observers speculate that Ai Weiwei might use the buttons in a new artwork, reminiscent of his 2010 installation "Sunflower Seeds" at the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, where he used 100 million hand-painted porcelain sunflower seeds made by artisans in Jingdezhen, China. That work commented on 'Made in China' and the concepts of imitation and authenticity. The potential button project would continue his practice of using unconventional, mass-produced materials.
Key facts
- Brown & Co Buttons is a 104-year-old family-run button factory in Croydon, UK.
- The company is closing due to a drop in sales and needs to dispose of 30 tons of buttons.
- On March 7, 2019, Amy Clare Tasker tweeted on behalf of the company to find a way to save the buttons from landfill.
- Ai Weiwei responded to the tweet asking for all the buttons.
- Negotiations between Ai Weiwei and Brown & Co Buttons are reportedly underway.
- Ai Weiwei is known for using unconventional materials, such as the 100 million porcelain sunflower seeds in his 2010 installation 'Sunflower Seeds' at Tate Modern.
- The buttons are made of plastic, metal, glass, and wood.
- The tweet received over 5,000 shares and numerous responses.
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
Institutions
- Brown & Co Buttons
- Tate Modern
- Artnet News
Locations
- Croydon
- United Kingdom
- London
- Jingdezhen
- China