Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei has turned the cameras on himself . On the first anniversary of his arrest at Beijing airport , the internationally-renowned artist and outspoken government critic has installed live web cameras at his home , a wink to the 24-hour police surveillance he has been under since his release . `` In my life , there is so much surveillance and monitoring -- my phone , my computer ... Our office has been searched , I have been searched , every day I am being followed , there are surveillance cameras in front of my house , '' he said , in quotes carried by Agence France-Presse . `` So I was wondering , why do n't I put some ( cameras ) in there so people can see all my activities . I can do that and I hope the other party ( authorities ) can also show some transparency . '' Four cameras , positioned over his computer , bed , and courtyard , broadcast a 24-hour live feed at weiweicam.com . Ai , 54 , was on his way to Hong Kong last April when he was taken into custody and detained for three months amid a crackdown on political dissidents , activists and religious groups across China . Ai 's Beijing studio was raided , and his wife and eight assistants were taken into custody for questioning . Activists attributed the campaign to government concerns about potential uprisings inspired by the Arab Spring . More than a month after taking him into custody , Beijing police told the state-run Xinhua news agency that Ai evaded a `` huge amount '' of taxes and that his company , Fake Cultural Development Ltd. , intentionally destroyed accounting documents . The government then initiated a tax evasion case against Ai 's company , demanding RMB 15 million ( US $ 2.4 million ) in fines , charges he denies and which critics argue are politically-motivated . Read about the latest development in Ai Weiwei 's tax evasion case . The provocative artist , blogger , documentary filmmaker , and architect has a complicated relationship with the authorities . Following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake , he created art installations to question the government 's silence over the 5,000 schoolchildren killed , deaths some have attributed to substandard construction of schools . He said he was beaten in 2009 by police officers in his hotel room as he prepared to testify at the trial of a fellow earthquake activist . However , he was allowed to fly to Munich , Germany soon afterward to exhibit his installation . Ai also helped designed the iconic Bird 's Nest stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympics , but later renounced his role after feeling the games had become too politicized . In November last year , he was briefly placed under house arrest to prevent him from attending a goodbye party he organized for his million-dollar studio in Shanghai after police ordered it demolished . Ai said that studio was built following government demands in the first place to enhance the city 's cultural standing . Q & A : Is China afraid of Ai Weiwei ? Ai has also embedded his Twitter feed on weiweicam.com , displaying a constant flow of netizen praise for his latest work . User @ sunrrr wrote : `` Ai Weiwei is always able to come up with wonderful ways to do wonderful things '' , while @ katrinazaat tweeted `` It 's comforting to see you on the webcam . I admire your courage and persistence as an artist . ''
Chinese artist Mimicks installs live webcams at his own home . Ai Weiwei 24-hour police surveillance since his arrest at Beijing airport three months . Government has accused Ai of tax evasion , seeking payment of fines . Ai is still facing tax evasion charges , brought by the government soon after his release .