14 DAY TRIAL // By the looks of it, those trying to make some easy money need only find some fresh air, capture it in a jar, a bottle or the like, and then book a flight to China and sell it to folks in this part of the world. This is what artist Liang Kegang has recently done, and word has it things have more than worked out in his favor.
Truth be told, Liang Kegang did not sell the fresh air in an attempt to make a career switch and go from being an artist to being a successful businessman. On the contrary, his auctioning off a jar of fresh air was intended to be an act of protest against poor air quality in China.
Media reports say that the fresh air that helped Liang Kegang make some money and take a stand against air pollution at the same time was collected by the artist while he was visiting Provence in the south of France.
No information on the topic has yet been shared with the public, but one can only assume that the fresh air collection process boiled down to Liang Kegang's opening a jar, waving it around in the air or maybe just letting it sit on a table for 2-3 seconds, and then sealing it.
Metro informs that, after capturing some of Provence's fresh air, the Chinese artist returned to Beijing, where he presently lives. Shortly after he returned to this city, he held an auction and managed to sell his jar of fresh air for a surprisingly hefty sum.
Thus, it is said that the auction was attended by some 100 Chinese artists and collectors, and that the person who ended up taking the fresh air home paid an impressive £500 (€605 / $840) for it. It is unclear whether or not this person has opened the jar in order to breathe in the fresh air, or if maybe they are waiting for another pollution spike to do so.
Commenting on his decision to protest both air pollution in China and the government's failure to solve this ongoing crisis by selling a jar of French fresh air, the artist said, “This is my way to question China's foul air and express by dissatisfaction.” “Air should be the most valueless commodity, free to breathe for any vagrant or beggar,” Chinese artist Liang Kegang further explained in a recent interview with the press.
As reported on several occasions, China is currently dealing with a major air pollution crisis. What's more, Beijing, i.e. the city where Liang Kegang now lives, is one of the urban areas that are pretty much choking in smog.