ai weiwei designs face masks for charity, including one with a middle finger

chinese artist and activist, ai weiwei, has created a series of face masks to support human rights and relief organizations. made with his team in the ai weiwei studio in response to the COVID-19 health pandemic, the designs include a middle finger, sunflower seeds and mythical creatures. 

mask with middle finger, all images courtesy of ebay

the masks are available singularly or in a set of 4 or 20. the collections include the ‘finger’ series, the ‘shanhajing’ series and the ‘free speech’ series. the masks are being sold on ebay here, with all proceeds going to human rights watch, refugees international and médecins sans frontières.

sunflower seeds

‘the COVID-19 pandemic is a humanitarian crisis. it challenges our understanding of the 21st century and warns of dangers ahead. it requires each individual to act, both alone and collectively. it is not enough to reflect on the new conditions and while away the time without fully inhabiting this moment. actualizing one’s inner need to participate gives life during COVID a new meaning. this is why I am always involved. I refuse to accept any part of life as a complete loss. our small individual act becomes powerful when they are part of the social response. an individual wearing a mask makes a gesture; a society wearing masks combats a deadly virus. and a society that wears masks because of the choices of individuals, rather than because of the directive of authorities, can defy and withstand any force. no will is too small and no act too helpless.’ — ai weiwei

feishu

finger series

free speech series

shanhaijing series

collection set of 20 masks

mask with middle finger packaging

ai weiwei MASK

project info:

project name: ai weiwei MASK

design: ai weiwei