Artist Quote: "Expressing oneself is a part of being human. To be deprived of a voice is to be told you are not a participant in society; ultimately it is a denial of humanity." Achievements: Ai served as artistic consultant on the design of the “Bird’s Nest” stadium for Beijing’s 2008 Olympics, and has curated pavilions and museum exhibitions around the globe. He has won many awards, including the Skowhegan Medal (2011) and the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (2008). His work has appeared in major exhibitions at Kunsthaus Bregenz (2011); the Victoria & Albert Museum, London (2011); Asia Society Museum, New York (2011); Tate Modern, London (2010); São Paulo Bienal (2010); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2009); Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2009); and Documenta XII (2007). | Name: Ai WeiWei Pronunciation: Eye Way-way Born: 1957 in China Art Movement: Contemporary Art, Political Art Main Medium: Installation, Performance, Sculpture, Photography About the Artist: Ai Weiwei is an activist, architect, curator, filmmaker, and China’s most famous contemporary artist. Ai Weiwei attended the Beijing Film Academy and the Parsons School of Design in New York. He has received an honorary doctorate from the Faculty of Politics and Social Science, University of Ghent, Belgium (2010). Ai has spent time in jail because of his work which criticizes the Chinese government, he was not allowed by the government to leave Beijing for a year and he cannot travel without official permission. As a result, he has become a symbol of the struggle for human rights in China. About the Artwork: Some of Ai’s best known works are installations which spark dialogue between the contemporary world and traditional Chinese modes of production. For Sunflower Seeds (2010) at the Tate Modern museum, he scattered 100 million porcelain “seeds” hand-painted by 1,600 Chinese artisans—a commentary on mass consumption and the loss of individuality. His infamous Coca Cola Vase (1994) is an antique Han Dynasty urn emblazoned with the famous soft-drink logo. |
Sources:
https://www.artsy.net/artist/ai-weiwei
https://www.aiweiwei.com
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-ai-weiwei-chinas-most-dangerous-man-17989316/
https://art21.org/artist/ai-weiwei/
https://www.artsy.net/artist/ai-weiwei
https://www.aiweiwei.com
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/is-ai-weiwei-chinas-most-dangerous-man-17989316/
https://art21.org/artist/ai-weiwei/