Chinese artists studio torn down

It took two years to build,and one day to tear down.

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The studio would have stood at the heart of an arts cluster on the outskirts of Shanghai,drawing luminaries from around the world. It took two years to build,and one day to tear down.

The new Shanghai studio designed by Ai Weiwei,a protean artist who is one of the most outspoken critics of the Chinese Communist Party,was completely razed at the order of government officials on Tuesday,Ai said in a telephone interview from Shanghai on Wednesday. Ai said a neighbouring studio he had designed for a friend had also been destroyed. Everything is gone, he said. Its all black now. They finished the job at 9 oclock last night.

It is the latest act in Ais escalating conflict with government officials over the Communist Partys authoritarian rule a clash that Ai now views as performance art.

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Ai said he did not know why officials decided to destroy the studios,but suspects it was because of his political activities. He had known about the order to destroy the studios since last July,when construction on the buildings was completed,but was shocked to discover that workers had started the job at 6 am on Tuesday. Ai said officials had told him earlier that the destruction would not take place until after the first day of the upcoming Year of the Rabbit,which falls on February 3.

I called officials and said,You promised us not to take it down until after New Years Day, Ai said. They said,If the studio is to be taken down,it doesnt matter if its sooner or later. EDWARD WONG