Ai Weiwei returns to drawing after 50 years with animation of dying Major Oak

Ai Weiwei has produced his first drawing in over fifty years, depicting the 1,200-year-old Major Oak located in Sherwood Forest, sketched beneath the tree during the summer solstice. This artwork serves as the foundation for 'A Tree' (2026), an animation commissioned by CIRCA in partnership with Factory International, which will be displayed on London's Piccadilly Lights from July 9 to September 9, 2026. The animation combines the drawing with 'Trees', a poem written in 1940 by Weiwei's father, Ai Qing, bridging two generations. At 69, Weiwei felt inspired to capture the ailing oak after learning about its decline, seeing its demise as part of a broader cycle of life. This project follows his significant exhibition 'Button Up!' at Factory International in Manchester, which he regards as the largest and most ambitious of his career, reflecting on two centuries of social and political change. Weiwei has frequently incorporated trees into his work, including sculptures made from ancient tree trunks in China, a cast of another 1,200-year-old tree in Brazil, and a historic tree recreated as a sculpture in Ukraine. 'A Tree' brings these themes to public screens, integrating them into daily urban experiences.