By Ai Weiwei with an introduction by Nick Hilden and illustrations by Gianluca Costantini<\/p>\n
Published On 13 Sep 202513 Sep 2025<\/p>\n
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A backpack is forgotten on the train. It seems a simple enough problem to resolve, especially in Germany, oft famed for its orderliness and efficiency. But when you\u2019re living as a refugee or in exile, the documents the bag contained are not mere pieces of paper to be reissued. They very well may be irreplaceable \u2013 a displaced person\u2019s only means of existing within a coldly bureaucratic society. To lose them can be devastating, turning borders into walls.<\/p>\n
In this comic, Chinese artist Ai Weiwei relates such an experience. Exiled from China since 2015, he is all too aware of the vital importance of documents like passports and visas for those forced from their native lands. According to Ai, \u201cWait is the most frequent word heard by those seeking an exit, and often the last.\u201d One\u2019s freedom of movement across borders is almost always determined by documentation, and the wait for the proper papers can feel endless. Sometimes it never ends, and for some it is a matter of life or death.<\/p>\n
Referring to this bureaucracy, Ai wonders, \u201cWhy does bureaucracy exist?\u201d Why should displaced people live and die by its whims and limitations?<\/p>\n