Controversial Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Barred From Leaving Country

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, whose Sunflower Seeds exhibit is currently on view at the Tate Modern in London, has been prevented from leaving the country on the fear that he would attend next week's Nobel Peace Prize ceremony for jailed writer and activist Liu Xiaobo. That Weiwei was unable to leave the country came as a shock to neither him nor his friends and supporters in China who have been under stricter surveillance and even house arrest in China until after the Peace Prize ceremony. The last few months have seen many harsh restrictions on Weiwei who was placed under house arrest and told his art studio would be destroyed. The story of his condemnation by the Chinese government continues and Weiwei has made pleas to British Prime Minister David Cameron to press China for human rights.

Read our previous story on Weiwei's house arrest here.