Alison klayman is the director of the upcoming documentary, ai weiwei. The grainy photograph depicts ai smiling wryly as an officer looks on uncomfortably. Much of ai weiweis work is a reflection of his own feelings of imprisonment, rage, and powerlessness. Ai weiwei, chinese artist and activist whose work included sculptural installations, architectural projects, photographs, and videos. China, notes ais fascination with artists marcel duchamp and andy warhol and the resulting influence upon the artists work. Ai grew up in the far northwest of china, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his fathers exile. These are times for the history books our courage inspires our neighbors.
Spatial matters also includes excerpts from ai weiweis famous blog shut down by chinese authorities in. A i weiweis largest show to date is currently on display in berlin. Find out how computers have shaped his work as he grapples with. This sculpture is a part of probably the most iconic series in ai weiweis oeuvre. Ai weiweis first exhibition in turkey is inspired by. Documenting a huge range of international projects with drawings, plans, and photographs of finished work, ai weiwei. Ai weiwei the fake case is a 20 documentary film about chinese artist and activist ai weiwei, directed by danish filmmaker andreas johnsen.
I left china telling my mother that i would return only when i was more famous than picasso. Ai weiwei is a chinese contemporary artist and activist. Much of ai weiwei s work is a reflection of his own feelings of imprisonment, rage, and powerlessness. If youre wondering who the most talked about artist in berlin might be these days, it would most likely be chinese artist ai weiwei. Firsttime director alison klayman gained unprecedented access to ai while working as a journalist in china. From the outset, the gallery was committed to showing the work of innovative young artists. Ai s passport has not been returned to him and his freedom of travel remains restricted. Ai weiweis documents the scale of the global refugee crisis in human flow for his new documentary, human flow, the chinese artistactivist traveled around the world to document the scope and. A richly illustrated exploration of ai weiweis installation and architecture projects, focusing on the artists use of space. Ai weiwei, cao fei, cai guoqiang, and xu zhen, the commissioned artist for the armory show 2014. Consisting of 18 rooms at martingropiusbau, evidence is made up primarily of new work specifically created with the museum in mind. Ai weiwei his only exposure to art and literature until adulthood.
Ai weiwei was born on august 28, 1957, in beijing, china, to chinese poet ai qing. How chinas most famous grounded artist collaborated with. Evidence en streaming dans le cable tv ou cinema au montreal canada et france avec son original en anglais. Ai weiwei has worked in everything from paint to readymades. Ai weiwei on his lego portraits of fellow activists the chinese artist created trace while under house arrest, and he wasnt allowed to travel to their san francisco debut. Oct 01, 2012 ai weiwei is a chinese contemporary artist, active in blogging, sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. Ai weiweis success as an artist on the international stage allows him the luxury of working big. In 2006, even though he could barely type, chinas most famous artist started blogging. Nov 25, 2011 t he surveillance camera police have trained on the turquoise gate of ai weiwei s studio in north beijing captures a steady stream of visitors. It is now a source for news about the artist and his work. His company, fake design, treats projects as evidence of mankind at.
Free ai weiwei is an information hub that started when the chinese artist and activist ai weiwei disappeared for 81 days in march 2011. An outspoken human rights activist, ai weiwei infuses his sculptures, photographs, and public artworks with political conviction and personal poetry, often making use of recognizable and historic chinese art forms in critical examinations of a host of contemporary chinese political and social issues. 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. The first gallery was a small ground floor space at the renowned soho address 420 west broadway. He was born in 1957, the son of ai qing 19101996, one of chinas finest modern poets and a defiant voice throughout the 20th century.
His art has been featured in major solo exhibitions including ai weiwei at blenheim palace, woodstock, uk, 2014. Feb 28, 2014 ai weiwei sits down with us to chronicle how the internet has profoundly impacted his artwork and led to international recognition. Ai weiwei has been called an iconoclast, a radical, a voice for the voiceless, and was once named the most powerful artist in the world. In 2011, dissident artist ai weiwei was imprisoned by chinese authorities for 81 days. Ai weiweis new exhibition features a room filled with. During his incarceration, artist ai weiweis assistants, eshyh wong and inserk yang come to new york in his place for the unveiling of ais public artwork near central park circle of animalszodiac heads 2010. Firsttime director, alison klayman, spent three years following weiwei as he prepared for major. The first comprehensive monograph on this key figure in chinas burgeoning art scene. This movie has been premiered in australian hd theatres in 2014 movies 2014. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the chinese governments stance on democracy and human rights. Ai weiweievidence, at martin gropius bau, berlin, until july th 2014. Writings, interviews, and digital rants, 20062009, the mit press, cambridge 2011 brown m.
The case for ai weiwei the art assignment pbs digital. Our understanding about the truth is really, somehow. In august 2014, ai weiwei was invited as one of the participating artists for the. No matter whether or not we are convinced of the information that is presented to us, every. 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. Much of the show is dedicated to the documentation and reflection of ais experiences leading up to and during the 81 days that he spent forcibly and secretly detained. Since his arrest and gruelling 81day detention in 2011 for economic crimes against the chinese state, ai weiwei has been the subject of a relentless campaign of surveillance. Ai weiwei s internet presence, friction with the chinese government, and now his 18room solo show at martingropiusbau and professorial status at berlins university of the arts has made him into one of our most accessible, talkedabout, and beloved artists in the world the exhibition, titled evidence, shows new works that have. Zodiac headscircle of animals now forms a significant international project. Mar 05, 2014 in the films, tinari reflects upon the current state of contemporary art in china, as highlighted through the work of four chinese artists. Ai weiwei ai xiaoming sam beattie andrew cohen rebecca kanthor matt ma zhao zhao. There is a lot of footage online and in the news of refugees. In his sculptural works he often uses reclaimed materialsancient pottery and. The 2012 survey of the courageous chinese artist ai weiwei seen at the hirshhorn museum in washington has finally arrived in new york, and is much improved.
Jun 20, 2014 ai weiweis success as an artist on the international stage allows him the luxury of working big. An exhibition of new work by ai weiwei on alcatraz island exploring human rights and freedom of expression, on view september 27, 2014april 26, 2015. Ai weiwei hospitalized after beating by chinese police. A cultural figure of international renown, ai weiwei is an activist, architect, curator, filmmaker, and chinas most famous artist. He then returned to china, an environment far less open to such views. If youve ever wondered what its like to be jailed indefinitely in china, nows your chance to see. A time and place where the more outrageously antiauthoritarian and oppositional the statement, the better. Accompanying a major new exhibition of ai weiweis work, including many pieces made especially for the.
He can ally himself with major institutions, which can. 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. Outspoken, provocative, and prolific, the artist ai weiwei is an international phenomenon. The fake case, which follows the dissident chinese artist during the difficult days he. He can ally himself with major institutions, which can in turn expect his name to draw huge crowds. This book offers reproductions of the approximately 50 works in the exhibition, some of which were specially created for berlins martingropiusbau museum, and some even more specifically for the buildings enormous glasstopped atrium. He previously hadnt had many opportunities to exhibit in berlin, but a big solo show of his just opened at martin gropius bau, a museum in berlin. In 1978, ai weiwei attended the beijing film academy and, later, moved to new york 19831993 to continue his studies at the parsons school of design. Today, in addition to artists longassociated with the gallery ross bleckner, francesco clemente, barbara kruger, barry le va. Filmed by andreas heck, original music by tan dun, mixed and resampled by andreas heck. Tinari, director of the ullens center for contemporary art in beijing and curator of armory focus. The first comprehensive monograph on the life and work of activist and dissident chinese artist ai weiwei, this luxurious, silkwrapped tome takes the cake for summers most sumptuous gift book. While ais art was lauded internationally, its frequently provocative dimension as well as his political outspokenness triggered forms of repression from chinese authorities. Ai weiwei, wadegiles romanization ai weiwei, born may 18.
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. While ais art was lauded internationally, the frequently provocative and subversive dimension of his art, as well as his. While ai s art was lauded internationally, the frequently provocative and subversive dimension of his art, as well as his political outspokenness. Even to people unfamiliar with the art world, ai is a source of. We asked ourselves why we were making the film in the first place. Ai weiwei s blog documents ai s passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for china. Documenting the story of ai weiwei whos afraid of ai. The exodus online on videoondemand services netflix, paytv or movie theatres with original audio in english. Ausfuhrliche filmbeschreibung worum geht es bei ai weiwei.
Release dates 1 also known as aka 0 release dates france 2 april 2014 tv premiere. Ai weiwei refugee crisis film to be screened at venice film. For more than three years, ai weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and. Wong and yang provide insight into his working processes and their belief that neither they nor we should remain silent about his. The arrest of ai weiwei brings to life the chinese artists recollection of the 81 days he spent in a 12. Beijing, june 22, 20 the ai weiwei studio released ai weiweis first music album, the divine comedy, today to commemorate the second anniversary of his release from an 81day secret detention. Renowned for his birds nest stadium at the beijing olympics, it was his social activism and criticism of the chinese government that earned him 81 days of detention, house arrest and the loss of his passport. Ai weiweis new exhibition features a room filled with 6,000 stools by jenny zhang on april 3, 2014 renowned chinese artist and political dissident ai weiwei has just launched his largest solo exhibition to date, called evidence, in berlins martingropiusbau. Jun 04, 2019 hans werner holzwarth is a book designer and editor specializing in contemporary art and photography. Ai weiwei by trigg, david art monthly, issue 378, july. Ai came of age as an art student in 1990s new york. As a result of his fathers denouncement from the antirightist movement, ais family was sent to a labor camp in beidahuang and was eventually exiled to shihezi, xinjiang. Based on a book by barnaby martin, it is an eloquent piece of quasidocumentary. Nov 19, 2015 ai weiwei is one of the worlds most famous artists, consistently topping power lists and grabbing headlines around the globe.
Human flow, a film about the global refugee crisis shot in 23 countries that documents the artists desire to understand it, will be released this fall. He suffers from sleeping disorder and memory loss, 18 cameras are monitoring his studio and home, police agents follow his every move, and heavy restrictions from the kafkaesque chinese authorities weigh him down. With coverage in newspapers and on tv, theres been a lot of buzz about ai weiwei and the exhibit, with over. Based in china since 2006, she is the beijing correspondent for global radio news and her stories have also. Oct 21, 2014 in 2011, dissident artist ai weiwei was imprisoned by chinese authorities for 81 days. The artist ai weiwei has not been heard from since sunday morning beijing time, when he was detained at the beijing airport before a routine flight to hong kong. Documentary production, it will have its north american premiere at the 2014 hot. In recent years, he has produced an astonishingly varied body of work while continuing his role as activist, provocateur, and conscience of a nation. The film won best 2014 documentary in danish film critics associations 67th bodil awards, played in the official selection of 2014 hot docs canadian international documentary festival in toronto and international documentary film. He is also one of the most controversial, as the chinese government attempted to censor and disgrace ai with a brutal 81day stint in solitary confinement and a trumpedup taxevasion lawsuit known as the fake case. How chinese artist ai weiwei became an enemy of the state. The 57yearold artist, architect, activist, father, and sometime political dissident is sitting at an ad hoc conference table in his studio in beijing.
The documentary goes onto chronologically reconstruct the events that occurred from the time he. Jul 30, 2017 chinese dissident artist ai weiweis documentary about the current refugee crisis, human flow, will premiere at the 74th venice international film festival. Inspired by the silk road, between turkey and china, the latest exhibition by controversial artist ai weiwei, entitled ai weiwei on porcelain, will focus on his wideranging practice in this medium showcasing an extensive selection of artworks from the artists oeuvre alongside new works, it will present a narrative informed by his life story and his approach to both the. The political maelstrom surrounding tans trial and reports of widespread police thuggery meant that rumors of ais condition and the potential cause of the cranial trauma spread quickly over the internet in the days following the artists hospitalization. The single dumbass, premiered last month along with its music video, is included in the album. Ai weiwei is one of the most prolific and influential artists of our time. Often working with ancient materials beams from destroyed temples, han dynasty urns ai weiwei b. Mary boone gallery was founded in new york in 1977. For his third solo exhibition with lisson gallery, ai weiwei has created a monumental new installation of bicycles as part of an ongoing. The series recreates the 12 traditional chinese zodiac sculptures that adorned the yuanming yuan imperial fountainclock in beijing and were subsequently looted during the opium wars. Ai weiwei the fake case is a documentary about the chinese artist and.
Ai weiwei survey lands at the brooklyn museum the new york. This prevented him from attending his largest exhibit to date, ai weiwei. A documentary reflects on artist ai weiweis battle against the lawsuit thrust upon him. Ai weiwei talks to david remnick about art, censorship, and twitter once celebrated by the government, ai weiwei is chinas most famous artist.
An art projection by chinese artist and activist ai weiwei appears on the 74foot marble first amendment tablet on the exterior of the newseum in washington, dc, on january 17, 20. Apr 22, 2014 exhibition ai weiweis evidence article by aj kiyoizumi in berlin. Ai is recognized as an advocate of universal human rights and an outspoken critic of the chinese governments stance on democracy. China at the armory show 2014 in new york city, curator philip tinari reflects on the work of chinese artist ai weiwei. All four films will be screened to both fairgoing and online audiences. Whether you follow contemporary art or international politics, youve probably heard of chinese artist ai weiwei. After 81 days of solitary detention, world famous chinese artist ai weiwei is put under house arrest. He lives in the studio and uses it as the base for his international work. Release dates 1 also known as aka 0 release dates france 2 april 2014 tv premiere also known as aka it looks like we dont have any akas for this title yet. Writings, interviews, and digital rants, 20062009 by ai weiwei 4. The article provides a holistic appraisal of activistartist ai weiweis work.