Ai weiwei has worked in everything from paint to readymades. I read it from cover to cover, but its probably better as a source book. Chinese artist ai weiwei has long been critical of the chinese government and censorship there. Ai weiwei takes to the stone, the philosophy blog on the new york times, to make his case. Never sorry, on the chinese artist the new york times. Suscribe to the phiosophy talk download service playful intentions and the problem of the hypnoflirt. Ai weiwei sparks social media flames in china independent. Unfortunately for them, the reputation of the man time magazine shortlisted for 2011s person of the year cover story just seems to grow. While ai s art was lauded internationally, the frequently provocative and subversive dimension of his art, as well as his political outspokenness. That was the same year security forces detained ai.
Ai weiwei comes across as very balanced, strategic, thoughtful, gifted, considerate, certain, yet patientalbeit that his creative actions have a galvanizing effect on his fans and an incendiary one on his detractors. Arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiwei s arrest by the chinese authorities in april 2011, and his subsequent release after being detained for 11 weeks. Disturbing the peace hua hao yue yuan my 2011 one recluse ordos 100 so sorry the mala desert. A collection of ai weiwei s blog entries proves hes much more than a playful dilettante of chinese art jonathan fenby sun 5 jun 2011 01.
This is just a sign of another failure for the chinese government in a twoday digital conference, the artist shares his thoughts on the communist partys handling of the. New york photographs 1983 1993 at beijings three shadows photography art centre. Free ai weiwei is an information hub that started when the chinese artist and activist ai weiwei disappeared for 81 days in march 2011. The real secret to a great infographic, ai weiwei at alcatraz, and more. Ai weiwei is known for many things great architecture, subversive inyourface art, and political activism. After they shut down his blog, he went on twitter and distributed his documentaries for free over the internet. A new exhibition in new york puts the surveillance state on display. In april 2011, when ai disappeared into police custody for three months, he quickly became chinas most famous missing person. He spent 81 days in a secret prison and was then put on oneyear probation and forbidden to leave china. The next best thing, i guess, is to see candid footage of his life and work, which. 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 ai s career. Whatevers happened is already not interesting at all. In response, chinese authorities have shut down his blog, beat him up, bulldozed his newly built studio, and held him in secret detention. Human flow, an epic film journey led by the internationally renowned artist ai weiwei, gives a powerful visual expression to this massive human migration.
Tags ai weiwei stories for ai weiwei ted news in brief. Ai weiwei and frank gehry talk art, legos and being cultural renegades. May 12, 2019 ai weiwei s provocative art has gotten him driven out of china. Ai weiwei displays his solidarity with the refugees and goes to meet them in greece, turkey and gaza, producing a major documentary on the way. Two creative people in two different fields in one wideranging conversation. For criticism of the chinese government on may 12, 2008, a disastrous 8. The real secret to a great infographic, ai weiwei at alcatraz, and more by ted staff. That was the same year security forces detained ai at the. Ai weiwei is a chinese contemporary artist, active in blogging, sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. If you are interested in his work on the birds nest, or his theories on architecture, this book has great discussions. Weiweis popular blog, launched in 2005, was shut down around the oneyear. While ais art was lauded internationally, its frequently provocative dimension as well as his political outspokenness triggered forms of repression from chinese authorities. Documenting the story of ai weiwei whos afraid of ai. Based in china since 2006, she is the beijing correspondent for global radio news and her stories have also.
To hear john horns conversation with ai weiwei, click on the player above. Ai weiwei, ai weiweis blog, censorship, internet censorship, the peoples republic of china, china, government criticism, sichuan earthquake. The work of dissident chinese artist ai weiwei is monumental, as is the mans fearless and outspoken personality. Ai weiwei gets artsyfartsy about surveillance wired. Aug 10, 2012 chinese artist and activist ai weiwei provides the fascinating and provocative focal point for the documentary ai weiwei. Apr 19, 2011 when did you first realize that a documentary on ai weiweis life was something you wanted to make. James ewing walk down the street in new york city and your likeness will. Arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiweis arrest by the chinese authorities in april 2011, and his subsequent release after being detained for 11 weeks. Sichuan, he published a list of all the victims on his blog as a work of art, and. Klayman documented ais artistic process in preparation for major museum exhibitions. Ai weiwei article about ai weiwei by the free dictionary. Ai had begun posting photographs of the disaster on his blog. Ai weiwei drifting art, awareness and the refugee crisis. For more than three years, ai weiwei turned out a steady stream of.
Over 65 million people around the world have been forced from their homes to escape famine, climate change and war in the greatest human displacement since world war ii. Ai weiwei, chinese artist and activist whose work included sculptural installations, architectural projects, photographs, and videos. Ai weiwei is one of the greatest linving artist, especialy because of his commitment to such causes. A new documentary, human flow, directed by the chinese artist ai weiwei, explores the political and personal cruelties imparted upon refugees stateless persons who find themselves at the. Firsttime director alison klayman gained unprecedented access to ai while working as a journalist in china. The chinese artist captures the humanity of the worlds 65 million forcibly displaced people in a bid to inspire a global solution to the ongoing crisis. Ai weiwei and frank gehry talk art, legos and being cultural renegades two creative people in two different fields in one wideranging conversation.
For more than three years, ai weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and architecture, and autobiographical writings. Manifestos and immodest proposals from chinas most famous artist and activist, culled from his popular blog, shut down by chinese authorities in 2009. Human flow is director and artist ai weiwei s detailed and heartbreaking exploration into the global refugee crisis. 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 israa abboud, hiba abed, rami abu sondos, weiwei ai. Klayman chronicles the complexities of ai s life for three years, beginning with his rise to public prominence via blog and twitter after he questioned the deaths of more than 5,000 students in the 2008 sichuan earthquake.
For more than three years, ai weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and. Never sorry is the first featurelength film about the internationally renowned chinese artist and activist, ai weiwei. The single dumbass, premiered last month along with its music video, is included in the album. Never sorry is the topical debut documentary of director alison klayman set during the leadup to ai s 2009 sunflower seeds installation at the tate modern, the film uses the. After studying painting in france 192932, where he discovered realist literature and was particularly influenced by the belgian poet. Ai weiwei s provocative art has gotten him driven out of china. I was in jail 81 days, but after 20 days my brain became completely empty. Its a very, very strong test i think more severe than any physical punishment. Aug 30, 2012 a character study of ai weiwei, chinas most famous and outspoken visual artist and dissident, working domestically against a background of strict censorship and internationally to great acclaim, ai weiwei. Ai weiwei and zuoxiao zuzhou with two police officers in chengdus anyi hotel elevator at 5 a. Superstar artistactivist ai weiwei remains elusive on film until now.
In may 2008, right after the catastrophic earthquake in the sichuan province, mr. Never sorry is a film about ai weiwei, a renowned chinese artist and activist who continually champions the values of democracy and human rights, and thus works in opposition to chinas authoritarian government. He has now disappeared and in doing so has become more than an important contemporary artist, see the phaidon monograph for a good survey. I wanted to make a movie about a creative and principled artist, willing to make calculated risks to push society. Ai wei weis human flow is about more than the refugee. Ai s passport has not been returned to him and his freedom of travel remains restricted. It is now a source for news about the artist and his work. From architecture to installations, social media to documentaries, ai uses a wide range of mediums as expressions of new ways. The documentary elucidates both the staggering scale of the refugee. Ai weiwei s blog is a collection of courageously honest rants. You see their work every time you start a ted talk.
In 2006, even though he could barely type, chinas most famous artist started blogging. Artist, activist and director ai weiwei captures the global refugee crisis the greatest human displacement since world war ii in this breathtakingly epic film journey human flow. But in order to be relevant, he told 60 minutes in 2017, art must be political subscribe to the 60 minutes channel here. He has also called for greater transparency on the part of the chinese state. All i wanted was a dictionary, even the simplest one. This book is also a sobering reminder of the price some pay for testing the boundaries of expression in a country that fears freedom. Never sorry chinas dissident artist independent lens. More than 5,000 children were crushed and killed by falling rubble due to poorly constructed school buildings. The frame for october 20, 2017 ai wei wei, filmmaker. Recently, while standing under the circular display of massive bronze animal heads in ai s circle of animalszodiac heads at washington, dcs hirshhorn museum, i found myself wishing i could meet him. Alison klayman is the director of the upcoming documentary, ai weiwei. Mar 01, 2011 this is an important collection from ai weiwei s original blog posts from 20062009. Beijing, june 22, 20 the ai weiwei studio released ai weiwei s first music album, the divine comedy, today to commemorate the second anniversary of his release from an 81day secret detention.
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. Ai weiwei, wadegiles romanization ai weiwei, born may 18. Ai weiwei s blog documents ai s passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for china. Architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is chinas most famous and politically outspoken contemporary artist. Ai weiweis deft use of social media has made him one of the most wellknown artists and dissidents in the world. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 30 days to finish once started. 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. Careers blog about amazon press center investor relations amazon devices amazon tours.
Part international star, part dissident artist, and part ultimate prankster, beijingborn activist ai weiwei has gained notoriety as one of chinas most fierce internal critics, leveraging the internet as a tool for igniting underground social movements, while loudly championing the necessity for political transparency and accountability. Firsttime director, alison klayman, spent three years following weiwei as he prepared for major. He is the son of poet ai ching ai ching or ai qing, pseud. Jun 05, 2011 a collection of ai weiwei s blog entries proves hes much more than a playful dilettante of chinese art jonathan fenby sun 5 jun 2011 01. Oct 12, 2017 directed by ai weiwei documentary pg 2h 20m. I began filming weiwei in late 2008 for a short film in conjunction with his exhibition, ai weiwei. China should be thankful that they have ai weiwei as a chinese artist, who care about. Either you know the name ai weiwei or you are, to some degree, clueless. Writings, interviews, and digital rants 20062009, p.
Firsttime director alison klayman gained unprecedented access to the charismatic artist, as well as his. In 2011, the chinese government detained ai weiwei. A character study of ai weiwei, chinas most famous and outspoken visual artist and dissident, working domestically against a background of strict censorship and internationally to great acclaim, ai weiwei. Never sorry is the topical debut documentary of director alison klayman. Chinese artist and activist ai weiwei provides the fascinating and provocative focal point for the documentary ai weiwei. In 140character snippets, the gruff chinese artist, activist, and the subject of ai. Ai weiwei has heavily criticized the chinese government through social media. Ai weiwei is renowned for making strong aesthetic statements that resonate with timely phenomena across todays geopolitical world.
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