Ai Weiwei: Arresting Art
This artist spoke out against his country’s policies. Then the government tossed him in jail.
©Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images.
Ai Weiwei (aye wayway) is one of the most famous artists in China. He is known for helping design the iconic “bird’s nest” stadium for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Summer Games. But the artist has long been troubled by the censorship and other policies of the Chinese government. He decided to use his art and the power of the Internet to speak out. That’s when, according to him, the government retaliated.
Seeds of Change
At first glance, Ai’s work may not seem political. For example, in 2010, the artist filled London’s Tate Modern gallery with 100 million hand-painted porcelain sunflower seeds (above). A major art gallery flooded with a ceramic snack food may seem absurd, but the artist was actually making a statement about China’s booming manufacturing industry.
China has become a world leader in manufacturing. The country is dotted with enormous factories where workers assemble products like electronics and toys. To create Sunflowers Seeds, Ai hired 1,600 people to cast and individually paint the seeds. From afar, the installation of black-and-white seeds appears uniform, but up close one can see that each seed is unique, much like the workers who made them.
Han Dynasty Urn with Coca-Cola Logo, 1994. Urn, Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-24 AD), paint, 25 x 28 x 28 cm. Photo: Courtesy of Ai Weiwei.
What is the artist saying with the urn below about modern culture in China?
Old and New Collide
For the piece above, Ai took an ancient Chinese clay urn and treated it as a readymade (an ordinary object displayed as art). He painted a Coca-Cola logo on it. This work suggests the artist’s opinion that China has abandoned its own history and culture in favor of Western culture and ideas. Some critics argue it is wrong to appropriate (use as one’s own) ancient artifacts, but others say doing so make people consider the past in a new way. What do you think?
Forever Bicycles, 2011. 2,000 bicycles, 262.8 x 95.7 m. Installation at The Taipei Fine Arts Museum. ©Ai Weiwei. Photo: ©Sam Yeh / AFP / Getty Images.
How does a room filled with bicycles transform both the space and the bikes?
Reinventing the Wheel
With his 2011 Forever Bicycles (above), the artist transformed a popular mode of transportation in China into a monumental installation. He welded together 2,000 bicycles into a giant structure standing more than 30-feet high. In doing so, he removed the objects’ function to build a huge, visually abstract form.
The lines and shapes created by the bike frames, wheel spokes, and tires make a repeating pattern. As visitors walk around the installation, the structure of this pattern makes the stationary bikes appear to be moving. With Forever Bicycles the artist has created a commentary on the rapid development in China. Why do you think he has chosen to leave out certain parts, such as seats, pedals, and handlebars?
Surveillance
Surveillance Camera, 2010. Marble, 39.2 x 39.8 x 19 cm. ©Ai Weiwei.
How does a carved marble camera convey the artist’s feelings about being kept under surveillance?
In addition to speaking out with his art, Ai publicly criticized the government in writings on his blog and on Twitter. In response, the government placed surveillance cameras outside of his studio. The artist responded defiantly, creating a carved marble sculpture of one of the cameras (right).
Then on April 3, 2011, Chinese authorities arrested the artist. They put him in prison for 81 days, allowing almost no contact with his family. No one knew where he was being held. After a flurry of media coverage, online petitions, and pressure, he was freed. The government claims Ai owes back taxes, but the artist disputes the claim.
“ Art is a form of communication.” —Ai Weiwei
