Ai Weiwei's artistic interest in the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan China has upset the Chinese authorities because his work has highlighted the government's lack of transparency and accountability in the aftermath of the disaster. He has used his art to draw attention to the shoddy construction of school buildings that collapsed during the earthquake, killing thousands of children, and to the government's refusal to release the names of the victims. His work has also highlighted the government's attempts to silence those who have spoken out about the tragedy.
