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Cultura

Detained artist Ai Weiwei offered Berlin university post


    BERLIN (Reuters) - Detained Chinese artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei has been offered a visiting teaching post at the Berlin University of the Arts, the university said Wednesday. The prominent artist and critic of China's ruling Communist Party was stopped from boarding a flight to Hong Kong from Beijing on April 3 and detained by border police.

    His detention has sparked criticism from Western governments over the treatment of rights activists.

    Chinese police said the 53-year-old Ai was under investigation for "suspected economic crimes" and reports from government-controlled media alleged he avoided taxes.

    The university's offer had been in the works since December. Last month the artist said he planned to open a studio in Berlin as his European base.

    His work "Sunflower Seeds," an installation of millions of handmade porcelain seeds, is currently on show at Britain's Tate Modern museum. A 100 kg pile of the porcelain seeds fetched 349,250 pounds at auction in London in February.

    (Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Michel Rose and Sophie Hares)