Anish Kapoor Goes Gangnam Style In Free Speech video

Anish Kapoor

Top British sculptor Anish Kapoor has leant his support to make a version of South Korean pop star Psy’s Gangnam Style video to advance the message of international free speech.

The Anglo-Indian artist is encouraging other artists to help recreate the video that was successfully mimicked by the Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei last month. Mr Ai’s version featured him in handcuffs in response to the Chinese government’s actions in arresting and detaining him for tax evasion, last spring. The video was blocked by the Chinese authorities.

Kapoor helped lead a campaign calling upon China to release Weiwei last year. Speaking about the Gangnam Style project, he told The Times that the freedom to make art was “by no means taken for granted by all residents of this planet”. The 58 year-old added that many public figures would take part in the new video. “It’s extraordinary, the support we’ve had,” he said. “Even people who can’t be here are sending footage of themselves doing the dance.”

The Gangnam Style video has gone viral chalking up an unprecedented 720 million views on YouTube. It was recognised by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon as a “force for world peace” and is curently number 6 in the UK charts.

Photo © ArtLyst 2012

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