Ai WeiWei

The well respected artist Ai WeiWei was arrested by chinese officials for producing and spreading information that the government was trying to cover up. Censorship of the artist's work is speculated to be part of a movement in which China is trying to silence outspoken individuals in order to contain dissidents about the upper class currently in control of china. This incident shows that artists can be more than just people who make "pretty things", but objects that go beyond face value to create a controversial concept and make a difference.