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Ai Weiwei Lego collection point in Helsinki

In the building housing the Ai Weiwei@Helsinki exhibition in the Helsinki Art Museum, there's a collection spot for public donations of Lego building blocks that the artist and human rights activist will use in his next artwork.

Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA

When Lego, the Danish toy company, refused to fulfill Chinese artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei's giant order for their colourful building blocks, Weiwei set up his first public collection point in Beijing, China in late October.

Since then, other collection points have opened around the world, including one at Helsinki’s Tennispalatsi (which houses the Helsinki Art Museum - HAM) that started up this week.

The Lego corporation refused to supply Weiwei with building blocks for an upcoming work of art that creates portraits of well-known human rights activists. Reportedly, Lego says it cannot participate in political projects. 

Sources: Yle