Artist

Ai Weiwei

Born in Beijing, 1957 and lives in Beijing, China

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist. The artist’s visual art includes sculptural installations, woodworking, video and photography. As a political activist, he has been highly and openly critical of the Chinese Government’s stance on democracy and human rights. He has investigated government corruption and cover-ups. In 2011, following his arrest at Beijing  International Airport, he was held for 81 days without any official charges being filed. Although he is allowed to leave Beijing, the police informed him that he is still prohibited from traveling to other countries because he is “suspected of other crimes,” including pornography, bigamy and illicit exchange of foreign currency. As of 2014, he remains under heavy surveillance and restrictions of movement, but continues to criticize through his work.

Exhibitions
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: The Human Comedy – Memento Mori
A solo show featuring a new glass series by Ai Weiwei on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice.
28 Aug 2022 - 27 Nov 2022
Venice
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Rapture
The Cordoaria Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal, has opened a major presentation of the first exhibition in...
04 Jun 2021 - 28 Nov 2021
Cordoaria Nacional
Lisbon
Exhibitions
Venice show
an exhibition by Carla
01 Dec 2020 - 11 Dec 2020
My Art Guides: Venice Meeting Point
Venice
Exhibitions
Utopie Fantastiche
In collaboration with Galleria Continua, Utopie Fantastiche is presented in the beautiful location of Rocca di Angera.
20 Apr 2020 - 27 Sep 2020
Rocca di Angera
Milan
Exhibitions
The Red Bean Grows in the South
The inaugural exhibition of Faurschou Foundation's new venue in New York City.
15 Dec 2019 - 01 Apr 2020
Faurschou Foundation New York
New York
Exhibitions
A History of Possible Encounters
Ai Weiwei, Frog King Kwok, Tehching Hsieh and Martin Wong: while they are all of Chinese heritage, they...
28 Jan 2014 - 15 Mar 2014
e-flux
New York
Exhibitions
China China
PinchukArtCentre presents China China, a major group exhibition including eleven Chinese artists of different...
18 May 2013 - 06 Oct 2013
PinchukArtCentre
Kiev
Exhibitions
@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz
Featuring seven new sculpture, sound, and mixed- media works by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, @Large: Ai...
27 Sep 2014 - 26 Apr 2015
Alcatraz
San Francisco
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei at Galleria Continua, San Gimignano
Galleria Continua presents, for the first time in its San Gimignano gallery space, a solo show by Ai...
27 Oct 2012 - 16 Feb 2013
Galleria Continua
Chianti, San Gimignano, Volterra
Exhibitions
Follia Continua! 25 years of Galleria Continua
To celebrate 25 years of adventure, projects, sharing and madness, it is just natural for Galleria Continua...
26 Sep 2015 - 22 Nov 2015
Centquatre – Paris
Paris
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei at The Royal Academy of Arts
The Royal Academy of Arts presents a landmark exhibition of the Honorary Royal Academician, Ai Weiwei....
19 Sep 2015 - 13 Dec 2015
Royal Academy of Arts
London
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Wooden Ball
Tang Contemporary Art opens its in Hong Kong on 3 October and at the same time launching its inaugural...
03 Oct 2015 - 15 Nov 2015
Tang Contemporary Art
Hong Kong
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei First Solo Show in China
Galleria Continua presents in its exhibition space in Beijing the show Ai Weiwei. For the first time...
06 Jun 2015 - 06 Dec 2015
Galleria Continua – Beijing
Beijing
Exhibitions
Ai Wei Wei’s Circle of Animals Zodiac Heads: Gold
This exhibition is comprised of twelve animal heads, each depicting a segment of the ancient Chinese...
01 Sep 2014 - 25 Oct 2014
Galeria Rabieh
São Paulo
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Ruptures
Faurschou Foundation’s major exhibition in 2015 features the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (1957). Over...
20 Mar 2015 - 22 Dec 2015
Faurschou Foundation Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: LEGO Collection Point
Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) has been chosen as the Florida Collection site for Ai Weiwei’s new international...
10 Nov 2015 - 06 Dec 2015
Pérez Art Museum Miami – PAMM
Miami
Exhibitions
Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei
“Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei”, developed by the NGV and The Andy Warhol Museum, with the participation...
12 Dec 2015 - 24 Apr 2016
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Melbourne
Exhibitions
M+ Sigg Collection: Four Decades of Chinese Contemporary Art
M+ Sigg Collection: Four Decades of Chinese Contemporary Art is a rigorously curated exhibition of highlights...
23 Feb 2016 - 05 Apr 2016
M+
Hong Kong
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Exaggeration
Ai Weiwei’s (b. 1957) first gallery exhibition in Finland fills Galerie Forsblom’s space for the...
13 May 2016 - 21 Aug 2016
Galerie Forsblom
Helsinki
Exhibitions
Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei
Andy Warhol | Ai Weiwei, developed by The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, PA, and the National Gallery...
04 Jun 2016 - 28 Aug 2016
The Andy Warhol Museum
Pittsburgh
Exhibitions
Cuarteto
A quartet is a musical composition written for an ensemble of four musicians or singers. If it were composed...
02 Jul 2016 - 02 Jul 2016
Arte Continua
Cuba
Exhibitions
Invisible Threads: Technology and Its Discontents
This exhibition explores the tensions that emerge in our everyday relationships with technology, looking...
22 Sep 2016 - 31 Dec 2016
The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: #SafePassage
As a political refugee who lived under constant government surveillance, the artist feels related to...
16 Sep 2016 - 07 Dec 2016
FOAM
Amsterdam
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Libero
This autumn, starting 23 September 2016 and running till 22 January 2017, Palazzo Strozzi in Florence...
23 Sep 2016 - 22 Jan 2017
Fondazione Palazzo Strozzi
Florence
Exhibitions
Around Ai Weiwei. Photographs 1983 – 2016
Camera hosts an exhibition on the photo and video production of the Chinese artist, investigating his...
28 Oct 2016 - 19 Feb 2017
Camera, the Italian Centre for Photography
Turin
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei 2016: Roots and Branches
For his first solo exhibition with Lisson New York, Ai Weiwei populates the gallery with felled, cast-iron...
05 Nov 2016 - 23 Dec 2016
New York
Exhibitions
Tudo Joia
The “Tudo Joia” exhibition’s concept is introducing a view of the production of the 20th...
28 Oct 2016 - 26 Nov 2016
São Paulo
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Fondation
In his third show with Lisson Gallery London, Ai Weiwei comes back to the UK with two installations....
25 Nov 2016 - 07 Jan 2017
London
Exhibitions
Roland Flexner – Ai Weiwei
Massimo De Carlo presents a group exhibition gathering together the iconic ink paintings by the artist...
21 Mar 2017 - 14 May 2017
Massimo De Carlo, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Exhibitions
Glasstress 2017
On the occasion of the 57th Biennale di Venezia, Fondazione Berengo presents “Glasstress 2017”,...
11 May 2017 - 26 Nov 2017
Palazzo Franchetti
Venice
Exhibitions
Watched! Surveillance, Art & Photography
C/O Berlin presents “Watched! Surveillance, Art & Photography”, a group exhibition,...
18 Feb 2017 - 23 Apr 2017
Berlin
Exhibitions
Continua Sphères Ensemble
Under the artistic direction of José-Manuel Gonçalvès, over twenty galleries and foundations from...
16 Sep 2017 - 19 Nov 2017
Centquatre – Paris
Paris
Exhibitions
Cutting Through Time. Highlights from the Castello di Rivoli Collection
The Castello di Rivoli offers a fascinating journey of “re-discovering” contemporary art in a regal...
04 Jun 2017 - 31 Dec 2017
Castello di Rivoli
Turin
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Refutation
This is the second solo show by the artist with the gallery, which this year moved in a new space in...
26 Mar 2018 - 30 Apr 2018
Tang Contemporary Art
Hong Kong
Exhibitions
Glasstress 2019
Organised by Fondazione Berengo, the sixth edition of “Glasstress” brings together a new...
09 May 2019 - 24 Nov 2019
Fondazione Berengo Art Space
Venice
Exhibitions
Rothko in Lampedusa
“Rothko in Lampedusa” is an independent show organised by UNHCR taking place during the 58th...
11 May 2019 - 24 Nov 2019
Palazzo Querini
Venice
Exhibitions
Homeless Souls
Gathering together a dozen artistic voices from countries around the world for a conversation about exile...
27 Jun 2019 - 22 Sep 2019
Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Denmark
Denmark
Exhibitions
Ai Weiwei: Roots
Ai Weiwei was born in 1957 in Beijing and now lives and works in Berlin. “Roots” presents...
02 Oct 2019 - 02 Nov 2019
Lisson Gallery, 27 Bell Street
London
Exhibitions
The Red Bean Grows in the South
Featuring major large-scale and experiential works —many from the Foundation’s Collection—by a...
03 Nov 2019 - 11 Apr 2020
Faurschou Foundation New York
New York
Art Spaces
Max Hetzler, London
Galleries in London
Lisson Gallery, 22 Cork Street
Galleries in London
Lisson Gallery, 27 Bell Street
Galleries in London
Lisson Gallery, 67 Lisson Street
Galleries in London
Galleria Continua
Galleries in Chianti, San Gimignano, Volterra
Galleria Continua – Beijing
Galleries in Beijing
Tang Contemporary Art
Galleries in Hong Kong
Ode to Art
Galleries in Singapore
Yang Gallery Singapore
Galleries in Singapore
Galerie Max Hetzler
Galleries in Berlin
Gallery Hyundai
Galleries in Seoul
Galerie Max Hetzler, Goethestraße
Galleries in Berlin
Related Content
Articles
Ai Weiwei releases ‘Coronation’ – Read
Ai Wei Wei takes over the atrium of London’s Imperial War Museum – Read
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