The article provides a holistic appraisal of activistartist ai weiweis. After his passport was returned to him in july 2015, the artist has dedicated himself to documenting the plight of disenfranchised and displaced. To encapsulate this hybridisation of politics with art, i favour a cultural. The new event of my twelve zodiac heads becomes a new factor. How chinese artist ai weiwei became an enemy of the state. Ai weiwei films and other works what is he doing, and why, how does art create change, dissent, communication, freedom. Ai weiwei, whose father, ai qing, was among chinas foremost literary figures, occupies an awkward niche in the world of chinese contemporary art. Former fbi negotiator chris voss at the australia real estate conference duration. As our landmark exhibition examines work from 1993 up to the present day, we take a look at some of the key works to know from across ais career. He can ally himself with major institutions, which can. Ai weiwei nonetheless continues to use his art for social engagement through mixed media, documentary, installation, and performance pieces that champion racial tolerance and basic human compassion.
His taschen publications include collectors editions like jeff koons, christopher wool, albert oehlen, ai weiwei, and the david hockney sumo a bigger book, as well as monographs like the xxlsized jeanmichel basquiat and survey books such as modern art and art now. Alison klayman is the director of the upcoming documentary, ai weiwei. His nowlegendary sunflower seeds installation for the tate modern in october 2010, which took 2. Ai weiwei without fear or favour autumn 2010 imagine. Architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is chinas most famous and politically outspoken contemporary artist.
Creative visionary, political activist and postmodern renaissance man ai weiwei is chinas most widely known and politically vocal contemporary artist. We are all during one time or another in our lives, refugees, he said. Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis life and art, and reveals how this most courageous and. Architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is. The work of dissident chinese artist ai weiwei is monumental, as is the mans fearless and outspoken personality. Alan yentob reveals how chinese artist ai weiwei continues to fight for artistic freedom of expression. Firsttime director alison klayman gained unprecedented access to ai while working as a journalist in china. Ai weiwei quoted in my work is always a readymade, ai weiwei. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Ai weiweis human flow the refugee crisis as global landslide the chinese artists documentary portrays the minutiae and the big picture of refugees on the move save. Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis life and art, and reveals how this most courageous and determined of artists continues to.
What impressed me the most was a giant cardboard stature by the canadian artist sean. But the problem with simply saluting ai as a political activist is that he insists on pleading his case in the art museums. With his level of exposure and following across the internet its hard to imagine a cooling off time where his presence. Architecture english, french, german, italian and spanish edition caroline klein on. Circle of animalszodiac heads is the artists first major public sculpture project. Based in china since 2006, she is the beijing correspondent for global radio news and her stories have also. Weiwei, also stopped in protest, two planned exhibitions in denmark, on 27 january, because the previous day, a new law had passed to seize refugees belongings worth more than 0 as a. The next best thing, i guess, is to see candid footage of his life and work, which. Ai weiwei, born in the socialist peoples republic of china, is one of the most. Ai weiwei is a chinese contemporary artist and activist. Ai weiweis deft use of social media has made him one of the most wellknown artists and dissidents in the world.
Documenting the story of ai weiwei whos afraid of ai. Recently, while standing under the circular display of massive bronze animal heads in ais circle of animalszodiac heads at washington, dcs hirshhorn museum, i found myself wishing i could meet him. Global times editorial on 6 april 2011 attacked ai, saying ai weiwei likes to do something others dare not do. Ai weiwei is a leading contemporary artist, activist and advocate of political reform in china. Ai weiwei, surveillance camera, 2010, marble, installation view ai weiweis ability to strike a balance between art objects for aesthetic and intellectual contemplation on the one hand, and a sustained and forceful critique of the chinese political establishment on the other, has made him a potent cultural and political force in recent years. For ai it is not just that discarding spatialised memory in favour. Never sorry was made about his life, art, and activism weiwei uses recognizable historic chinese art forms in pieces that critically examine contemporary political or social issues. Never sorry is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics. With all due respect to ai weiwei, as hes a magnificent artist, and certainly his family suffered greatly, hes confusing what he went through in china with something that china was decidedly not. The fact that the basic structure of the sculpture is circular, could suggest the neverending traditions of the chinese people or how weiwei perceives they are stuck in a cycle of dictators and political unrest in china. Internationally acclaimed chinese contemporary artist ai weiwei has reinterpreted the twelve bronze animal heads representing the traditional chinese zodiac that once adorned the famed fountainclock of the yuanming yuan, an imperial retreat in beijing. A cultural figure of international renown, ai weiwei is an activist, architect, curator, filmmaker, and chinas most famous artist.
Already, weiweis sister gao ge has publicly stated that because ai was not an officer of fake design that he. His father, a famous revolutionary poet, fell out of favor with the chinese communist government. Director matthiew springford ai weiwei is one of china s bestknown artist. He is the son of poet ai ching ai ching or ai qing, pseud. Browse content similar to ai weiwei without fear or favour. Ai weiwei without fear or favour, bbc one imagine a china where artists are unrestrained. Arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiweis. Arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiweis arrest by the chinese authorities in april 2011, and his subsequent release after being detained for 11 weeks. Ai was placed under house arrest in november 2010 by the chinese police. Ai weiwei holding some of his sunflower seeds at tate modern.
He also merits an acclaim as an architect since he codesigning the beijings birds nest stadium. Ai weiweis provocative art has gotten him harassed by police, thrown in detention and driven out of china. Without fear or favour 2010 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. After studying painting in france 192932, where he discovered realist literature and was particularly influenced by the belgian poet.
Ai wei wei as wonderful dissident, terrible artist the. Without fear or favour full movie in hd visit arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiwei. Grapes by ai weiwei, 2010 i wish i could leave it at that. Ai weiwei gives a voice to refugees with upcoming new york.
Read mark singers 2011 talk story about that works visit to new york and evan osnoss profile of ai, from 2010. Ai weiweis triumphant return in 2011, the controversial artist was detained in beijing and his passport was confiscated for four years by the chinese government. Secondly, charging ai is an easy way to divide and conquer his associates into testifying against him or engage in special pleading on their own, or his, behalf. Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis fight for artistic freedom of expression. He later became a member of the artist group stars, which refused to create chinese art that followed government guidelines. The article provides a holistic appraisal of activistartist ai weiweis work. Paper 12 ai weiwei cardboard sculpture between april 12 15, 2012, montreal held the annual paper show, number 12 this time, in french papier 12. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more. Al weiwei is chinas most famous and politically outspoken contemporary artist. Writings, interviews, and digital rants, 20062009 by ai weiwei 4. Weiweis action is a symbol over the 60 million refugees who need help. Upon his release, he was prohibited from traveling abroad, engaging in public speech, and. Ai weiwei article about ai weiwei by the free dictionary. In 2018, ai weiwei received marina kellen french outstanding contributions to the arts award granted.
507 294 97 1135 1207 1502 357 1454 1507 708 1506 479 758 1151 1341 233 1478 155 1094 792 94 489 971 833 197 923 1324 114