Ai Weiwei's Beijing Exhibition Ban Lifted After Four-Year Hiatus

Four solo exhibitions by dissident artist Ai Weiwei opened in Beijing last month, marking the end of an implicit ban on his public shows that had persisted since his 2011 arrest. The exhibitions include 'Ai Weiwei' at Galleria Continua and Tang Contemporary Art Centre, running until 31 December, 'AB Blood Type' at Magician Space until 9 August, and 'Tiger, Tiger, Tiger' at Chambers Fine Art until 31 August. Police interference was minimal during the openings, surprising observers and the artist himself. Despite this development, Ai Weiwei's passport remains unrecovered, preventing international travel. Chinese media outlets can now reference the artist online, though print publications continue to face censorship. Ai Weiwei told The Art Newspaper that while this represents progress toward passport recovery, his primary focus remains artistic expression through digital channels. It remains uncertain whether he will attend his retrospective at London's Royal Academy, scheduled to open on 19 September.