Lego boude un artiste chinois : internet s’organise

L’artiste Ai Weiwei avait besoin de briques Lego pour une exposition en Australie. Alors que la marque a refusé de lui en fournir, le web s’est mobilisé pour l’aider.

Ai Weiwei est un artiste chinois pour le moins subversif, à la fois sculpteur, performer, photographe, architecte, commissaire d'exposition et blogueur. Pour autant, le refus de Lego de lui vendre des petites briques pour réaliser son œuvre passe mal. Difficile de ne pas voir dans cette décision une forme de censure : l’artiste voulait en effet recréer avec les jouets des portraits de militants australiens. Et si la marque justifie son choix par le refus d’être associée à des projets politiques, force est de constater que sa décision lui permet surtout de ne pas se mettre en mauvais termes avec le gouvernement chinois… qui prévoit l’ouverture d’un Legoland à Shanghai…

Alors qu’Ai Weiwei annonçait sur Instagram ce refus, les internautes ont choisi de lui apporter un soutien de taille en lui envoyant quantité de petites briques. Inspirant ! L’artiste a donc choisi d’élaborer un nouveau projet sur l’art politique… en Lego, bien sûr. 

"We're here to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow" (twitter.com/LEGO_Group) In June 2015 Ai Weiwei Studio began to design artworks which would have required a large quantity of Lego bricks to produce. The works were planned for the exhibition "Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei" at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, to open in December 2015. The artworks' concept relates to freedom of speech. The museum's curatorial team contacted Lego to place a bulk order and received Lego's reply via email on 12 September 2015: "We regret to inform you that it is against our corporate policy to indicate our approval of any unaffiliated activities outside the LEGO licensing program. However, we realize that artists may have an interest in using LEGO elements, or casts hereof, as an integrated part of their piece of art. In this connection, the LEGO Group would like to draw your attention to the following: The LEGO trademark cannot be used commercially in any way to promote, or name, the art work. The title of the artwork cannot incorporate the LEGO trademark. We cannot accept that the motive(s) are taken directly from our sales material/copyrighted photo material. The motive(s) cannot contain any political, religious, racist, obscene or defaming statements. It must be clear to the public that the LEGO Group has not sponsored or endorsed the art work/project. Therefore I am very sorry to let you know that we are not in a position to support the exhibition Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei by supplying the bulk order." Ai Weiwei Studio was informed by NGV about Lego's rejection of the bulk order. As a commercial entity, Lego produces and sells toys, movies and amusement parks attracting children across the globe. As a powerful corporation, Lego is an influential cultural and political actor in the globalized economy with questionable values. Lego's refusal to sell its product to the artist is an act of censorship and discrimination.

Une photo publiée par Ai Weiwei (@aiww) le 24 Oct. 2015 à 15h14 PDT

.@LEGO_Group this is about 10% of our #Lego collection. We won't be buying more. @aiww you're welcome to borrow it. pic.twitter.com/6mcq8RwXu3

— Dave Hall (@skwashd) 25 Octobre 2015

LEGO won't support @aiww, label his art "political".James wants to send lego to @aiww to make his brilliant art. pic.twitter.com/mqopJNj5Jd

— Jacqueline Who (@jacqueline_who) 25 Octobre 2015

"We're here to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow" (twitter.com/LEGO_Group) In June 2015 Ai Weiwei Studio began to design artworks which would have required a large quantity of Lego bricks to produce. The works were planned for the exhibition "Andy Warhol / Ai Weiwei" at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia, to open in December 2015. The artworks' concept relates to freedom of speech. The museum's curatorial team contacted Lego to place a bulk order and received Lego's reply via email on 12 September 2015: "We regret to inform you that it is against our corporate policy to indicate our approval of any unaffiliated activities outside the LEGO licensing program. However, we realize that artists may have an interest in using LEGO elements, or casts hereof, as an integrated part of their piece of art. In this connection, the LEGO Group would like to draw your attention to the following: The LEGO trademark cannot be used commercially in any way to promote, or name, the art work. The title of the artwork cannot incorporate the LEGO trademark. We cannot accept that the motive(s) are taken directly from our sales material/copyrighted photo material. The motive(s) cannot contain any political, religious, racist, obscene or defaming statements. It must be clear to the public that the LEGO Group has not sponsored or endorsed the art work/project. Therefore I am very sorry to let you know that we are not in a position to support the exhibition Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei by supplying the bulk order." Ai Weiwei Studio was informed by NGV about Lego's rejection of the bulk order. As a commercial entity, Lego produces and sells toys, movies and amusement parks attracting children across the globe. As a powerful corporation, Lego is an influential cultural and political actor in the globalized economy with questionable values. Lego's refusal to sell its product to the artist is an act of censorship and discrimination.

Une photo publiée par Ai Weiwei (@aiww) le 24 Oct. 2015 à 15h14 PDT