The Danish toymaker refused Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei's request for a bulk order of Lego bricks.
Ai Weiwei wrote in an Instagram post that “they cannot approve the use of Legos for political works”.
British Merlin Entertainment earlier announced plans to enter the Chinese market and open a Legoland park in Shanghai. In April 2015, Lego Group started the construction of a factory in Jiaxing (China), which is supposed to make Lego toys for the entire Asian market. Queen of Denmark Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik attended the factory groundbreaking ceremony.
Ai Weiwei planned to show his installation at an exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne on December 11.
The artist already used construction toys in his previous artworks. For example, he presented portraits of famous “prisoners of conscience”, including Nelson Mandela, made of Legos at his exhibition at the Alcatraz prison.
Lego representatives do not comment on the incident.
Photograph: Mae Ryan Subscribe to our mailing list: