World-renowned artist Ai Wei Wei opened a studio last winter on the Greek island of Lesbos, the main entry point in Europe for refugees fleeing their home countries. His intention was to create projects around the global humanitarian crisis to raise awareness, as well as engaging with NGOs, the people from Lesbos and, first and foremost, with the refugees themselves.
The artist condemned the living conditions of the thousands of migrants that are still stranded in the camps and called the situation a ‘big violation of human rights’.
As part of his engagement, Ai gave Little Sun solar lamps to people in the camps. More than 1,700 have now been distributed on Lesbos alone.
Images courtesy of Ai WeiWei and Asylum Links EU: Outreach Workers – a small organisation focusing on information outreach in Mainland Greece, ensuring refugees stay informed of their rights and receive up-to-date knowledge of the asylum interview process.
