Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a world-renowned Chinese artist, documentarian and activist, recognised for his provocative and politically charged works that challenge authority and advocate for human rights.

Ai was born in Beijing in 1957, the same year when China’s Anti-Rightist Campaign. Ai’s father was the celebrated poet Ai Qing, and the family was sent to a labour camp in 1958. They were subsequently exiled to Xinjiang in 1961, where they would live for the next 16 years. The family eventually returned to Beijing in 1976. These early experiences shaped Ai’s lifelong commitment to speaking out against social injustice.

Ai Weiwei became involved the avant-garde art scene in Beijing during the late 1970s and 1980s. He co-founded the early avant-garde group the ‘Stars’ in 1978 when attending the Beijing Film Academy to study animation. The group included contemporaries such as Ma Desheng, Huang Rui, Mao Lizi, among others.

He later moved to the United States in 1981, where he studied briefly at the Parsons School of Design in New York. Between 1983 and 1986, Ai attended the Art Students League of New York. During his time in the United States, Ai was influenced by the works of Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns, which guided his art to a more conceptual approach.

Upon returning to China in 1993, Ai became an influential figure in the contemporary art circle, helping establish the avant-garde artists’ community, Beijing East Village. His work explores themes of history, memory, and the tension between tradition and modernity, incorporate everyday objects often repurposed giving space for social commentary.

As an outspoken critic of the Chinese government, Ai Weiwei has faced significant personal and professional challenges. His investigation into the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, where he exposed the shoddy construction of school buildings that led to thousands of deaths, brought him international attention but also increased scrutiny from Chinese authorities. In 2011, he was detained for 81 days on suspension of alleged economic crimes, an experience that only deepened his resolve to fight for freedom of expression.

Ai’s activism and art are inextricably linked, making him a global symbol of resistance against censorship and oppression. His work has been exhibited in major museums and galleries around the world, and he continues to use his platform to advocate for human rights, both in China and globally. Ai Weiwei’s fearless creativity and commitment to justice have made him one of the most influential artists and activists of our time.