@LARGE: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz | Jon Rendell Scene4 Magazine February 2015

@LARGE: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz
The Photography of Jon Rendell

The misconception of totalitarianism is that freedom can be imprisoned. This is not the case. When you constrain freedom, freedom will take flight and land on a windowsill. — Ai Weiwei (artist/political activist)



		February 2015


	The Chinese dragon kite is called “With Wind.”



	Ai Weiwei’s long, winding Chinese dragon kite features stylized renderings of birds and plants that are icons for nations with records of violating human rights and civil liberties.



	An evening tour afforded luminous golden light from the setting sun.





	“Trace” is the human face of political activism and portrays more than 175 people from around the world who have been detained because of their beliefs or affiliations







	You can more easily make out the Lego faces of political prisoners from the gun gallery which lines the 1941 New Industries Building.



	This work is called “Refraction” and is a giant feather composed of used Tibetan solar cookers. The massive metal feather is clipped by the placement within the confines of such a small space. Even the viewer can only view the piece from the gun gallery through small windows.



	Sound installations in the cellhouse feature music, poetry and the spoken word by people who have been detained for the expression of their beliefs. Each cell had a solitary stool for the listener.



	Underneath Alcatraz near the theatre.



	This shot features light from the full moon. In the cellhouse dining hall visitors were invited to select pre-addressed cards to various political prisoners and write them messages. They could be dropped into a nearby box to be mailed by the gallery to all points overseas.



	The salt glazed windows give a blurred perspective of the Golden Gate Bridge. More information can be found at www.aiweiweialcatraz.org


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Jon Rendell was born into an auteur/photog family in Melbourne, Australia. He was always captivated by shadows and finds himself hard-wired to focusing on the transitory, abstract shapes that come and go with the available light. Visit his website: www.jonrendell.com. See his Blog. For more of his photography in Scene4, Check the Archives:



	©2015 Jon Rendell ©2015 Publication Scene4 Magazine


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		February 2015


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