The disappearance of artist Jianguo Xiongdi worries Chinese civil society
Jianguo Xiongdi, a Beijing-based environmental artist known for his artistic actions challenging the Chinese government, has been missing since June 30, as has his friend, an art curator. Together, they had notably taken on a petrochemical company they held responsible for pollution that caused serious health problems for villagers.
Chinese artist Jianguo Xiongdi (literally, "brother of the hard core" in Chinese), committed to defending the most vulnerable and the environment, has not given any sign of life to his loved ones since the evening of June 30, which he spent in Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, which has caused a wave of concern in China.
“Last week, he repeatedly denounced the damage caused to the health of villagers in Xiaohaotu, Shaanxi, by natural gas exploitation and pollution caused by coal gangue,” blogger Yiming Yeke said on WeChat on July 2.
That same evening, 1,200 kilometers as the crow flies northeast of Kunming, in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi, Zheng Hongbin, an art curator “very involved in the art movement denouncing pollution” in the village of Xiaohaotu, was “taken away” by local police.
Since the revelation of this double disappearance, Chinese internet users have mobilized on social media to show their support for the artist. But many articles, such as one by Yiming Yeke, a documentary filmmaker who closely follows Jianguo Xiongdi's actions, or a "wanted notice" by a blogger named Jiusi Huanhun, have disappeared from Chinese social media. These two articles were kept
Courrier International
