Art News

Outspoken Artist Ai Weiwei’s Design Firm Told It Has Not Paid Corporate Taxes

BEIJING (AP).- Chinese authorities told representatives of outspoken artist Ai Weiwei’s design firm Thursday that the company had not paid corporate taxes for a decade, but did not allow them to keep documents showing the alleged offense. The representatives, including Ai’s wife, were shown the documents at a hearing they had been granted to challenge a $1.85 million tax bill delivered by authorities after the dissident was released from nearly three months’ detention. The prominent government critic was the most high-profile target of a sweeping crackdown on activists this year and his detention sparked international outcry, with some countries saying it was a sign that the human rights situation in China was deteriorating. Tax officials visited Ai’s