With his eyes closed and face down on pebbles inches from the water, Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist and activist, has recreated the haunting image of the 3 year old Syrian boy who died in the Mediteranean Sea last summer. The controvertial Chinese artist and activist has again provoked debate since the image went viral. Is Ai Weiwei's recreation of the photo of Aylan Kurdi's untimely death really necessary? Some people may say it is rather crude to recreate a disturbing image such as this.

Some may say the artist has gone too far and is using thIs image to further his own career and to keep him in the spotlight. Using such a picture could be seen as the artist exploiting the situation, however others would argue that the image keeps the dreadful refugee crisis in the minds of people worldwide.

The image was taken in Lesvos, Greece, for an Indian magazine.. Andy Argus, co-owner of India Art Fair, said: “It is an iconic image because it is very political, human and involves an incredibly important artist like Ai Weiwei.

Ai Weiwei, in an interview with CNN said “The image is haunting and represents the whole immigration crisis and the hopelessness of the people who have tried to escape their pasts for a better future.”In an interview with CNN, Ai states: ‘For me to be in the same position [as Kurdi] is to suggest our condition can be so far from human concerns in today’s politics.’

A image such as this is always going to get a lot of attention and create debate. Whether you could call it art is another matter, nevertheless Ai Weiwei would suggest that it helps to keep the situation alive in our minds!