"The individual’s yearning for freedom can never be repressed. It always finds expression, in one form or another."
Monumental art speaks truth to power
Ai Weiwei is unafraid to speak truth to power. He’s one of the most famous living artists today – a testament to the breadth and vision of his practice. Effortlessly, he moves between different media, from sculpture and architecture to performance and documentary film. His work is often monumental in scale and is driven by a hunger for truth and justice. In 2008, for example, Ai spent many months collecting the names of over 5000 children who lost their lives in the Sichuan earthquake. This unflinching dedication to human rights saw him detained by the Chinese government for 81 days in 2011, a...
Bio
Ai Weiwei was born in 1957 in Beijing and now lives and works between Cambridge, Lisbon and Berlin.
Activism
Ai is renowned for championing human rights. He received the 2015 Ambassador of Conscience Award from Amnesty International and the 2012 Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent from the Human Rights Foundation.
Did you know?
In 1980s New York Ai met the legendary beat poet Allen Ginsberg, who encouraged him to document his memories. Doing so remains a cornerstone of Ai's practice, and of his diary-like Instagram feed.
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articleAi Weiwei: 'A New Chatpter'
Ai Weiwei's latest exhibition has arrived at London's Lisson Gallery. Here, we take a deep dive into select works and key themes.
4 min read
articleAi Weiwei – Combat fear with truth
Happy Lunar New Year! As we enter the Year of the Snake, Ai Weiwei shares his wisdom for the year ahead and explains why the snake is not only the most misunderstood animal in the Zodiac, but the most pertinent symbol of our times.
3 min read
articleAi Weiwei – Everyone is a dragon
It's the year of the dragon. Dragons wield godlike power in myths and folklore, but Ai Weiwei insists that everyone is a dragon. Here's why.
3 min read
article
guideHow to collect art
So, you're an art lover. Either you buy art, or you'd like to – but where to channel this passion? You're in the right place. This guide covers everything you need to kickstart, develop and deepen a collection.
7 min read
guideWhat is silkscreen printing?
Printmaker Kaius takes a break from crafting exquisite editions at Make-Ready in London to guide us through the fundamentals and speculative future of screen printing and serigraphy.
10 min read
guideWhat is an edition?
At Avant Arte, limited edition artworks are the centre of our world. We're aware that on the surface they can be, like many worthwhile things, a bit mysterious. Here's everything you need to know.
6 min read
6:12videoAi Weiwei: Printing Power
Go behind the scenes at Make-Ready in London as Ai Weiwei reflects on the profundities of printmaking, and its lineage within his practice.
2 min read
