Ai Weiwei, a global artist, researcher, and thinker, explores diverse subjects, from the 2008 Chinese earthquake to refugee crises. His art combines craftsmanship and conceptual creativity, addressing economic, political, and social forces. Through installations, sculptures, films, and photographs, he highlights universal symbols and societal issues. Ai Weiwei is an influential cultural figure and advocate for free expression worldwide.
Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai Weiwei now resides in Portugal. His major solo exhibitions span across the globe, from Vienna to London. He has collaborated on architectural projects like the 2012 Serpentine Pavilion and the Beijing Olympic Stadium in 2008.
His numerous awards include the Chinese Contemporary Art Awards’ lifetime achievement award in 2008 and the Václav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent in 2012. He was named Honorary Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2011.
Ai Weiwei’s work resonates globally, transcending cultural and political boundaries. As a leading cultural figure, he continues to inspire through his thought-provoking art and unwavering commitment to human rights.
24 April 2025 • Mark Westall
The inaugural Art X Freedom commission will be a monumental new public art installation by artist and activist Ai Weiwei.
21 February 2025 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei will join Factory International Creative Director Kee Hong Low to discuss his role as a global citizen, artist & thinker in a special talk
11 December 2024 • Mark Westall
“An individual life can be seen as a coloured brick, but also as intuitive expression of, not only a two-dimensional… Read More
22 May 2024 • Mark Westall
The Seattle Art Museum (SAM) has announced that it will present a major retrospective in 2025 for Ai Weiwei, one… Read More
6 February 2024 • Mark Westall
Avant Arte’s latest collaboration is with Ai Weiwei – Guardian, a new time-limited print edition will be available for just… Read More
15 November 2023 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei and TASCHEN present an unprecedented fine art jewelry collaboration following the success of the artist’s Papercut Portfolio.
14 November 2023 • Mark Westall
The Art Newspaper reports that ‘Lisson Gallery has indefinitely put on hold an exhibition of new works by the Chinese… Read More
26 September 2023 • Mark Westall
Stellar line-up of artists including Ai Weiwei, Maggi Hambling, Caroline Coon, Tracey Moffatt, Penelope Slinger, Owanto, Tewodros Hagos, Pam Hogg,… Read More
7 August 2023 • Mark Westall
FAD Magazine delves into Art History to curate the finest collection of skull-themed artworks, spotlighting the captivating world of Skull… Read More
22 July 2023 • Tabish Khan
LEGO, sins, saints, London and a giant rock.
20 July 2023 • Mark Westall
The UK premiere of an artwork by Ai Weiwei incorporating 61 chandeliers to exhibit in Durham Cathedral as part of this year’s light art biennial.
15 May 2023 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei’s Fly (2019) sculpture has landed in the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project until further notice.
5 April 2023 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei, one of the world’s most celebrated and recognisable living artists, has unveiled a major new exhibition at the Design Museum
22 March 2023 • Mark Westall
Middle Finger, Ai Weiwei’s new interactive online artwork which invites people around the world to offer their own perspective on power, has surpassed 10,000 global submissions in its first week.
20 March 2023 • Mark Westall
In advance of his first-ever design-focused exhibition — opening next month — the Design Museum today unveils a major new work by celebrated global artist Ai Weiwei.
16 March 2023 • Mark Westall
Avant Arte has announced a new collaboration with celebrated contemporary artist Ai Weiwei to make his work available to all. This exciting new collaboration is launched to mark Ai Weiwei’s first ever design-focussed exhibition which opens at the Design Museum next month.
17 February 2023 • Tabish Khan
Artworks to re-connect us with nature, in the perfect setting for it.
30 January 2023 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei to take over the Design Museum with major exhibition and installations, open a major new exhibition at the Design Museum in April.
23 January 2023 • Mark Westall
Vito Schnabel Gallery is pleased to present Ai Weiwei: Zodiac..
4 December 2022 • Mark Westall
Ai Weiwei has just announced on his Instagram that on Saturday 10th December 2022 (Human Rights Day), he will be signing blank A4 sheets of paper with invisible UV ink from 2-4pm at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park, London.
29 November 2022 • Bella Bonner-Evans
Koestler Arts runs an art prize with a National Exhibition at The Southbank Centre showing the work of prisoners, ex-offenders, secure patients and Immigration Centre Detainees. This year, the exhibition was curated by Chinese contemporary artist Ai Wei Wei and titled Freedom
24 October 2022 • Mark Westall
Koestler Arts presents their 15th Annual UK Exhibition in partnership with the Southbank Centre, curated by Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist, Ai Weiwei.
8 August 2022 • Mark Westall
Koestler Arts has announced that their fifteenth Annual UK Exhibition in partnership with the Southbank Centre this October will be… Read More
21 June 2022 • Mark Westall
The most personal documentary ever made about Ai WeiWei will be exclusively screened at Glastonbury Festival 2022 this weekend ahead of the documentary’s release in the UK.
