Ai Weiwei’s photos from Lesbos capture refugee life
Chinese artist shares images and videos, drawing attention to plight of thousands of refugees arriving in Greece.
Rubber dinghies making their way to the shore, freezing children warming by a night fire, piles of abandoned life vests, long queues at a registering centre.
These are some of the scenes captured by Ai Weiwei, the renowned Chinese artist who is currently visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos.
The 58-year-old activist has been sharing pictures and videos on his personal Instagram account, drawing attention to the plight of the thousands of refugees risking stormy waters to escape war and hardship.
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“Lovely boy from Syria at the refugee camp,” reads a caption on one of Ai Weiwei’s photos showing a shyly-smiling child in a woolly hat near a cluster of tents.
“Brave man from Afghanistan,” reads another.
Ai Weiwei, who is known for being critical of the Chinese government, was detained for almost three months in 2011 as part of a wider crackdown on dissent in China.
He often uses his personal social media accounts to highlight social issues.