Ai Weiwei misses China; Zeitz MOCAA names new director; Merkel portrait draws crowds
In a recent interview with ARD, Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist, conveyed his wish to return to China, stating he would have preferred to come back 'yesterday' and expressed frustration over his limited ability to communicate in a foreign language. Since 2015, he has been residing in Europe after fleeing China due to political persecution. The Financial Times highlighted James Cahill's book, 'The Beverly Hills Housewife,' which focuses on Betty Freeman and combines art critique with biographical elements. The FAZ marked the 80th birthday of photographer Wilhelm Schürmann and celebrated conceptual artist Hans Haacke's 90th birthday. Following the exhibition of Angela Merkel's portrait, the Bode Museum in Berlin experienced a notable increase in visitors. Elvira Dyangani Ose will take over as artistic director of the Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town on October 1, succeeding Koyo Kouoh.
Key facts
- Ai Weiwei said he misses China and would like to return 'yesterday'.
- Ai Weiwei has lived in Europe since 2015, including Germany, the UK, and Portugal.
- James Cahill's book 'The Beverly Hills Housewife' about Betty Freeman is reviewed in the Financial Times.
- Wilhelm Schürmann turned 80; he influenced German photography since the 1970s.
- Hans Haacke turned 90; his works include the Reichstag installation 'Der Bevölkerung' (2000).
- Bode Museum visitor numbers rose from 550 to about 900 daily since Merkel portrait display.
- Elvira Dyangani Ose becomes artistic director of Zeitz MOCAA on October 1.
- Elvira Dyangani Ose previously directed MACBA in Barcelona.
- Koyo Kouoh led Zeitz MOCAA until her death in 2025.
Entities
Artists
- Ai Weiwei
- David Hockney
- Betty Freeman
- Wilhelm Schürmann
- Hans Haacke
- Jérémie Queyras
- Elvira Dyangani Ose
- Koyo Kouoh
Institutions
- ARD
- Financial Times
- FAZ
- Galerie Lichttropfen
- Bode Museum
- Zeitz MOCAA
- MACBA
- Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
Locations
- China
- Germany
- United Kingdom
- Portugal
- Los Angeles
- Berlin
- Cape Town
- Barcelona
- Abu Dhabi