Ai Weiwei Discusses Memoir, Art Practice, and Political Expression in ArtReview Interview
In an interview with ArtReview from December 2021, Ai Weiwei reflects on his memoir '1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows' (2021), which intertwines his narrative with that of his father, the poet Ai Qing, set against a backdrop of a century of Chinese history. He highlights the importance of writing in his artistic expression, merging emotional depth with historical significance. His notable works, such as 'Trace' (2014) and 'Sunflower Seeds' (2010), tackle social issues and mirror his encounters with state oppression, including a police assault in 2009, his imprisonment in 2011, and the 2018 destruction of his studio. Ai Weiwei critiques the profit-driven ideologies in the art world, comparing power dynamics in the West and China, and asserts the vital link between writing and art in expressing human dignity.
Key facts
- Ai Weiwei's memoir '1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows' was published in 2021
- The memoir covers 100 years of Chinese history through the lives of Ai Weiwei and his father Ai Qing
- Ai Weiwei was imprisoned for three months in 2011 and suffered a brain hemorrhage from a police attack in 2009
- His Beijing studio was demolished in 2018, leading to his move to Berlin
- Ai Qing was a modernist poet exiled for 20 years, including hard labor in Xinjiang
- Ai Weiwei used Lego for 'Trace' (2014) and porcelain for 'Sunflower Seeds' (2010)
- 'Sunflower Seeds' involved 1,600 artisans in Jingdezhen over two-and-a-half years
- The interview was published in the December 2021 issue of ArtReview
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
- Ai Qing
Institutions
- ArtReview
Locations
- Beijing
- China
- Berlin
- Germany
- Xinjiang
- Jingdezhen
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Tiananmen
- White House