Artist
Ai Weiwei
Chinese, b. 1957
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese Conceptual Art artist. 1 work is cataloged here, principally at Museum of Modern Art. Ai Weiwei was born in Beijing.
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian and activist. Ai grew up in the far northwest of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the Chinese government and its stance on democracy and human rights.
He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of "tofu-dreg schools" in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In April 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Capital International Airport for "economic crimes", and detained for 81 days without charge. Ai Weiwei emerged as a figure in Chinese cultural development, an architect of Chinese modernism, and a prominent political commentator.
Works by Ai Weiwei
Collections represented
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Artist