In which a tourist visits a Weiwei exhibition

A tourist approaches a group of photographs that depict Weiwei flipping off various famous buildings and landscapes. The tourist herself raises her own hand and flips off the photos of Weiwei flipping off famous buildings and landscapes. The tourist uploads the photo to social media. Soon afterward, the phone pings excitedly because people like the meta-photo. The tourist walks around and looks for other stuff to photograph.

Soon, the tourist approaches a sex toy carved out of stone. She smiles and raises her phone to take a photo but then lowers the phone and returns the phone to her pocket. She stands for a moment looking around at nothing in particular. Then, she sees a roll of toilet paper carved of stone and she smiles again.

The moment passes; she walks around. She sees a nearby tile wall full of a beautiful blue and white tile. She approaches. The tiles depict images of modern state violence against citizens but in a style of ancient Grecian and Egyptian art. An Egyptian sun god Aten shines above armored police who beat a naked citizen. Nearby, Bacchus watches from behind a cloud of teargas. A surveillance camera watches Bacchus watch the political violence.

The tourist doesn’t reach for her phone in her pocket; she just stands before the wall and tears fall down her cheeks.

After some moments the tourist turns away and looks around. She sees a surveillance camera extending from an adjacent wall nearby. The camera is pointed at her as she stands before the tiles wall.

Below the camera, leaning on the wall, is a wooden bat caved from red oak. The tourist walks to the bat, picks it up, and beats the surveillance camera a few good whacks with the wooden bat.

The camera is made of carved stone and the wooden bat does little more than make a dull thud against the stone. The tourist hurts her hands. A small piece of wood chips off the bat. The tourist returns the bat to the wall and walks to the door of the gallery.

At the door of the gallery, she pauses, searches her pocket for her phone, and tosses the phone into a nearby trashcan. The phone pings excitedly a few times during the next few hours, but by sunset, the phone has lost power and dies.

The end.

Published by Mink

The amazing writer, husband, father, traveler, and in general a uniquely amazing person named Jared Mink.

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