Ai Weiwei: Dumbass
by Rebecca Choong Wilkins | May 31, 2013
This single ‘Dumbass’ is taken from Ai Weiwei’s forthcoming album, Divine Comedy. Having been detained by the Chinese authorities for 81-days, in his most recent interview Ai claims to have memorised every “inch-accurate” detail of his cell which has been precisely replicated in the music video for ‘Dumbass’. Written by Ai, the song was composed by fellow artist and musician Zuoxiao Zuzhou- a stage name- which ambiguously translates as ‘left-little ancestor-curse’. His name has been interpreted to connote pure sound and no meaning. Quite the opposite may perhaps be said about his most recent collaboration with Ai Weiwei.