Installation Art Born in 1957, in Beijing, China, Ai grew up
during the tumultuous period of the
Cultural Revolution. His father, Ai Qing, was
AI WEIWEI a renowned poet who was persecuted
Born 1957 - during this time, influencing Ai's later
Chinese activism and social commentary in his art.
Ai Weiwei studied animation at the Beijing
Film Academy before moving to New York
City in the 1980s, where he became
involved in the avant-garde art scene and
studied Design. During his time in the
United States, he was exposed to Western
artistic influences, which would later shape
his artistic practice.
In the 1990s, Ai Weiwei returned to China
and became increasingly politically active,
using his art and social media platforms to
critique the Chinese government's policies
on issues such as
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap- Þ human rights
art-history/global-contemporary-apah/21st- Þ freedom of speech
century-apah/v/ai-weiwei
Þ corruption and
Þ the lack of democracy in China.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ai Weiwei is a prominent contemporary Throughout his career, Ai Weiwei has faced
artist, activist, and free thinker from China, harassment, surveillance, and
known for his socially and politically based imprisonment by Chinese authorities due
art; and outspoken criticism of the Chinese to his activism and outspokenness.
government.
In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing
Capital International Airport on 3 April, for
Citing Marcel Duchamp, he refers to
"economic crimes". He was detained for 81
himself as a ‘readymade’, merging his life
days without charge. He was held in
and art to advocate both the freedoms
conditions he described later as “a kind of
and responsibilities of individuals. He
mental torture,” in a tiny room with guards
believes all activities or artworks should
nearby, and interrogated 50 times.
be social - and political.
‘From a very young age I started to sense The artist asserts that his “true offense” was
that an individual has to set an example his advocacy of freedom and democracy.
in society’, he has said. ‘Your own acts His passport was withheld by the Chinese
and behaviour tell the world who you are government for 4 years. It only took his
and at the same time what kind of poor health and confessions of his “crime”
society you think it should be.’ to announce his release.
, The Chinese authorities restricted Ai AI WEIWEI & SOCIAL MEDIA
Weiwei’s social media - his main
instrument of criticizing the corruption of Ai Weiwei frequently uses social media
the Chinese government. platforms, like Twitter and Instagram, to
convey political messages, reach global
After being allowed to leave China in 2015,
audiences and to advocate for freedom of
he has lived in Berlin, Germany, in
speech - particularly in China where
Cambridge, UK, with his family, and in
internet access is restricted by the state.
Portugal.
Despite facing censorship and surveillance
Despite these challenges, he continues to from Chinese authorities, Ai Weiwei
create thought-provoking art that continues to engage with online
challenges societal norms and advocates communities.
for freedom of expression and human
rights around the world. “SUNFLOWER SEEDS” BY AI WEIWEI
Ai Weiwei, Sunflower Seeds, 2010,
porcelain
A sculptural installation of millions of tiny
individually hand-crafted sculptures of
Ai Weiwei, S.A.C.R.E.D. (2013), a six-part perfect porcelain sunflower seeds spread
work composed of (i) Supper, (ii) Accusers, (iii) over a gallery floor where viewers were
Cleansing, (iv) Ritual, (v) Entropy, (vi) Doubt initially encouraged to walk on this
surface and interact with the seeds.
A glimpse into his harrowing time behind
bars. S.A.C.R.E.D., is a six-part installation
near-life size dioramas showing the artist and
TITLE
his prison guards inside steel boxes.
Straigthforward, yet complex when we look
at the layered meaning of the sunflower seed
In 2010 Art Review listed Ai Weiwei as no. 1 in the Chinese cultural and political context.
on their Top 100 of most powerful people A seed is both simple & complex. Within it, it
in the art world. has the potential to grow into something
great.
during the tumultuous period of the
Cultural Revolution. His father, Ai Qing, was
AI WEIWEI a renowned poet who was persecuted
Born 1957 - during this time, influencing Ai's later
Chinese activism and social commentary in his art.
Ai Weiwei studied animation at the Beijing
Film Academy before moving to New York
City in the 1980s, where he became
involved in the avant-garde art scene and
studied Design. During his time in the
United States, he was exposed to Western
artistic influences, which would later shape
his artistic practice.
In the 1990s, Ai Weiwei returned to China
and became increasingly politically active,
using his art and social media platforms to
critique the Chinese government's policies
on issues such as
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap- Þ human rights
art-history/global-contemporary-apah/21st- Þ freedom of speech
century-apah/v/ai-weiwei
Þ corruption and
Þ the lack of democracy in China.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Ai Weiwei is a prominent contemporary Throughout his career, Ai Weiwei has faced
artist, activist, and free thinker from China, harassment, surveillance, and
known for his socially and politically based imprisonment by Chinese authorities due
art; and outspoken criticism of the Chinese to his activism and outspokenness.
government.
In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing
Capital International Airport on 3 April, for
Citing Marcel Duchamp, he refers to
"economic crimes". He was detained for 81
himself as a ‘readymade’, merging his life
days without charge. He was held in
and art to advocate both the freedoms
conditions he described later as “a kind of
and responsibilities of individuals. He
mental torture,” in a tiny room with guards
believes all activities or artworks should
nearby, and interrogated 50 times.
be social - and political.
‘From a very young age I started to sense The artist asserts that his “true offense” was
that an individual has to set an example his advocacy of freedom and democracy.
in society’, he has said. ‘Your own acts His passport was withheld by the Chinese
and behaviour tell the world who you are government for 4 years. It only took his
and at the same time what kind of poor health and confessions of his “crime”
society you think it should be.’ to announce his release.
, The Chinese authorities restricted Ai AI WEIWEI & SOCIAL MEDIA
Weiwei’s social media - his main
instrument of criticizing the corruption of Ai Weiwei frequently uses social media
the Chinese government. platforms, like Twitter and Instagram, to
convey political messages, reach global
After being allowed to leave China in 2015,
audiences and to advocate for freedom of
he has lived in Berlin, Germany, in
speech - particularly in China where
Cambridge, UK, with his family, and in
internet access is restricted by the state.
Portugal.
Despite facing censorship and surveillance
Despite these challenges, he continues to from Chinese authorities, Ai Weiwei
create thought-provoking art that continues to engage with online
challenges societal norms and advocates communities.
for freedom of expression and human
rights around the world. “SUNFLOWER SEEDS” BY AI WEIWEI
Ai Weiwei, Sunflower Seeds, 2010,
porcelain
A sculptural installation of millions of tiny
individually hand-crafted sculptures of
Ai Weiwei, S.A.C.R.E.D. (2013), a six-part perfect porcelain sunflower seeds spread
work composed of (i) Supper, (ii) Accusers, (iii) over a gallery floor where viewers were
Cleansing, (iv) Ritual, (v) Entropy, (vi) Doubt initially encouraged to walk on this
surface and interact with the seeds.
A glimpse into his harrowing time behind
bars. S.A.C.R.E.D., is a six-part installation
near-life size dioramas showing the artist and
TITLE
his prison guards inside steel boxes.
Straigthforward, yet complex when we look
at the layered meaning of the sunflower seed
In 2010 Art Review listed Ai Weiwei as no. 1 in the Chinese cultural and political context.
on their Top 100 of most powerful people A seed is both simple & complex. Within it, it
in the art world. has the potential to grow into something
great.
