Two and a half months after he was arrested at a Beijing airport, Ai Weiwei—who created the installation "Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads" at Grand Army Plaza and didn't get to see its unveiling last month—will finally be released from jail "on bail." Which in China means that his charges are likely to be dropped on the condition of good behavior.
Xinhuanet reports that the artist expressed willingness to pay the taxes he was said to have been evading, and that an unspecified "chronic disease" was a factor in his release. A wave of international pressure from various political leaders (including our very own Bloomie) also played a role—Chinese prime minister Wen Jibao was due to visit Britain and Germany starting on Saturday, and would have surely encountered calls for Ai's release there. Hyperallergic, which has been liveblogging the coverage, also notes that the tax charges might be a load of bull, explaining that they are "a tactic that the Chinese government has used in the past to arrest and detain dissident artists and intellectuals."
Meanwhile, the art world is jubilant. Larry Warsh, the founder of AW Asia, a private organization and gallery in Chelsea for Chinese contemporary art, released the following statement: "On behalf of so many around the world, we are relieved about reports that Ai Weiwei has been released and is finally able to rejoin his family. I know his son will be so happy to hug him." Aw, he does look huggable.
