Taiwan art museum to host Ai Weiwei exhibition

Taipei: An art museum in Taiwan plans an exhibition by outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei starting this week.

The Taipei Fine Arts Museum said Ai would not attend but did not say why. Ai was detained in April during China`s sweeping crackdown on activists. He was released in June but remains under investigation for economic crimes and must ask for permission to leave Beijing. The exhibit of 21 works will include photography, 12 bronze heads representing the Chinese zodiac and a new piece consisting of some 1,000 bicycles reflecting China`s social changes. The exhibit starting Saturday runs through Jan. 29. It is yet to be seen if the exhibit may irritate Beijing. Beijing still claims Taiwan as its own after the sides split amid civil war in 1949. Bureau Report