Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
h e well-known Chinese artist and political dissident Ai Wei Wei off ered
his critique of design and Olympic totalitarianism. He worked on initial
designs for the Bird's Nest with Herzog and de Meuron but resigned before
the opening ceremony. He disavowed it in an attack on the “disgusting”
political conditions under the CCP. He called the Bird's Nest and the general
use of art/architecture for propaganda purposes a “fake smile” used to hide
the dark side of China's political system and lack of true freedom. When
asked about what China was trying to hide, he replied, “h ere are too many
things. h e whole political structure, the condition of civil rights, . . . cor-
ruption, pollution, education, you name it.”
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Herzog and de Meuron's naïve insistence on their ability to “change
China for the better” through their “organic” and “nonhierarchical” design
concept stands in sharp contrast to the post-Olympic reality of the Bird's
Nest.
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h e Bird's Nest is currently a largely abandoned and decaying site,
home only to a small winter activities park.
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h e Olympic Green is now the
site of a “Green Dream Park,” what one visitor called “the worst theme park
ever known to man.” h e “Green” component of the park is to “promote
awareness of climate change and environmental protection” through do-it-
yourself activities.
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One visitor describes the experience:
If you've ever seen those North Korean documentaries which showcase
bizarre attractions completely empty of people, this one comes frighteningly
close. . . . Upon passing through security (beware terrorists!), an eerie scene
awaited us: 90s era Gameboy music on repeat, and a desolate park, other
than a dance troupe, who seemed like they were randomly hired to dress up
in animal costumes and do something strange on stage. . . . What about
those do-it-yourself activities you ask? . . . [You can] decorate a vase and put
a seed in there, and to pay to make a tie dyed piece of cloth. . . . h e only free
activity we found was a claw crane. But it wasn't fi lled with stuff ed animals,
but instead with cans—and yes, beer cans too. If you manage to successfully
get a can (we didn't), you can insert it into yet another machine which will
give you some coins in return.
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