Art Platform 2011: Ai Weiwei

Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei‘s installation for Art Platform Los Angeles is truly a sight to behold. Dubbed Snake Bag, the undulating 55-foot-long serpent is created from 360 children’s backpacks and commemorates the deadly 2008 Sichuan earthquake. The original ideal was based on the scattered backpacks in the rubble left by the thousands of children that had died because of poor building code and attributed to local corruption. The idea of fashioning them into a symbol of wicked cunning in Chinese lore seemed sadly appropriate. The piece is both eery and thought-provoking.

Source: Arrested Motion