Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis life and art, and reveals how this most courageous and determined of artists continues to. The only way i keep my sanity is to keep the conversation alive without fear or favour. Ai weiwei without fear or favour, bbc one the arts desk. Jul 18, 2011 on 3 april, 2011, ai weiwei was detained under harsh conditions for over two months without any official charges being filed, on allegations of economic crimes. Ai weiwei s blog documents ai s passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for china. Upon his release, he was prohibited from traveling abroad, engaging in public speech, and. On june 22 2011, following a large and sustained outcry by international human rights organizations and prolific western media coverage, the chinese government released ai weiwei. Nov 16, 2010 alan yentob had clearly been banned from meeting ai weiwei in china, and so one of their interviews was conducted over a webcam, with yentob sitting in the dark, like some spymaster of the arts. In more human terms, this means that whenever you buy a book on amazon from a link on here. Much like warhols 1977 book the philosophy of andy warhol from a to b and back again, which featured the artists sprawling essays on sex, celebrity, and america, weiweiisms is a.
Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis fight for artistic freedom of expression. Ai weiwei launches controversial public art project focused. Without fear or favour, recorded before ais arrest, provides cultural and political context to his provocative work. Writings, interviews, and digital rants, 20062009 by ai weiwei 4.
As our landmark exhibition examines work from 1993 up to the present day, we take a look at some of the key works to know from across ais career. A time and place where the more outrageously antiauthoritarian and oppositional the statement, the better. If you found yourself thinking that you were watching mission. I listen to voices on both sides of the debate about whether or not what they are doing is futile or even justified.
Jun 28, 20 ai weiwei for the past decade, the art world seems increasingly preoccupied with finding and coronating an heir to andy warhols legacy. In the view of the beijingbased critic and curator karen smith, the author of a book on ai weiwei published last year, ai was turning his blog into a public space as vibrant as any church or. Found this extremely interesting book ai weiweis blog at the museum of cycladic art shop. However, while this book or rather an extended set of transcribed interviews with hans ulrich obrist huo had a few moments where aww had the. Without fear or favour is not showing in any theaters in the area. This book offers a collection of ais notorious online writings translated into.
See more ideas about ai weiwei, wei wei and installation art. But as chinese artist ai weiweis new book weiweiisms. He then returned to china, an environment far less open to such views. Ai weiwei is highly regarded, his views are respected, said woolums. Chairman mao was the first in the world to use twitter, says ai. Ai weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in chinese cultural development, an architect of chinese modernism, and one of. Discover book depositorys huge selection of ai weiwei books online. For more than three years, ai weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and. Ai weiwei exhibition royal academy of art new art examiner. Without fear or favour 2010 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. The first comprehensive monograph on the life and work of activist and dissident chinese artist ai weiwei, this luxurious, silkwrapped tome takes the cake for summers most sumptuous gift book. In 2006, even though he could barely type, chinas most famous artist started blogging. For ai, this struggle is a war of words, says editor larry warsh in his introduction to weiweiisms, and his own wordsspoken, written, or tweetedare like a bullet out of the gun, ai weiwei repeatedly points out, and centuries of history attest, human rights and freedom of expression are not set by anyones agenda. What picasso was to the 20th century, ai weiwei is to the 21st, and if our century is to be the chinese century, then its fitting that the greatest artist of the age is chinese.
Ai weiwei is widely known as an artist and political activist, but his role as a pioneering publisher is often overlooked. But as chinese artist ai weiweis new book weiweiisms proves, small can be powerful. Ai weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in chinese cultural development, an architect of chinese modernism, and one of the nations most vocal political commentator. As ai weiwei s latest work is unveiled in the turbine hall at tate modern, alan yentob reveals how this most courageous and determined of artists continues to fight for artistic freedom of expression while living under. Ai came of age as an art student in 1990s new york. Oct 30, 2016 feeling the butterflies and want to find out more about ai weiwei. Ai weiwei rebels against the idea the art matters less.
Taschens new book, meticulously edited and lavishly produced, is the closest youre going to get to an appreciation of ais work without actually attending. Alan yentob had clearly been banned from meeting ai weiwei in china, and so one of their interviews was conducted over a webcam, with yentob sitting in the dark, like some spymaster of the arts. An outspoken human rights activist, ai was arrested by chinese authorities in april 2011 and held incommunicado for three months. Ai weiwei has 36 books on goodreads with 2962 ratings. Mar 05, 2011 the fact that the basic structure of the sculpture is circular, could suggest the neverending traditions of the chinese people or how weiwei perceives they are stuck in a cycle of dictators and political unrest in china. Without fear or favour arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiweis arrest by the chinese authorities in april 2011, and his subsequent. Wherever fear dominates, true happiness vanishes and individual willpower runs dry. Ai weiwei without fear or favour, bbc one imagine a china where artists are unrestrained. Alan yentob explores the story of ai weiweis life and art, and reveals how this most courageous and determined of artists continues to fight for artistic freedom of expression while living under the restrictive shadows of authoritarian rule. Ai weiwei launches controversial public art project. Ai weiwei holding some of his sunflower seeds at tate modern. And once again, if you actually read my article as opposed to reciting propagandist bullet points, youll see that im asking people to spread the word and perhaps impose some economic pressure to push for ai weiweis release. With all due respect to ai weiwei, as hes a magnificent artist, and certainly his family suffered greatly, hes confusing what he went through in china with something that china was decidedly not. Without fear or favor as i type this, occupy protesters all over the u.
Ai weiwei world the chinese artist captures the humanity of the worlds 65 million forcibly displaced people in a bid to inspire a global solution to the ongoing crisis. Featuring beautiful photographs and thoughtprovoking text, at large is the essential document of this remarkable happening from one of todays most. I didnt expect a publication that has been touted as one of the best art books of 2012 to stand just six inches tall and contain only two photographs. The fact that the basic structure of the sculpture is circular, could suggest the neverending traditions of the chinese people or how weiwei perceives they are stuck in a cycle of dictators and political unrest in china.
Chairman mao was the first in the world to use twitter, says. Impossible rather than imagine, you could have been forgiven. Oct 11, 2017 ai weiwei is highly regarded, his views are respected, said woolums. Ai weiwei has worked in everything from paint to readymades.
Without fear or favour, a bbc documentary exploring the role of art as an agent of change, or what 100 million porcelain seeds have to do with twitter. I purchased this book after watching ai weiweis aww 2012 documentary never sorry twice on netflix. Ai weiwei talks to david remnick about art, censorship, and twitter once celebrated by the government, ai weiwei is chinas most famous artist. Writings, interviews, and digital rants, 20062009 writing art ai. The compendium, a colleciton of famous artists instructions for art anyone can make, the. Please quote me, if you may, and show me where ive suggested that anyone overthrow the ccp. Without fear or favor this video on the sunflower seeds project. Architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is chinas most famous and politically outspoken contemporary artist. Ai weiweis blog documents ais passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for china. Without fear or favour documentary, is this decorative art. Ai weiwei is the most famous chinese artist living today. Ai weiwei without fear or favour autumn 2010 imagine. Alan yentob reveals how chinese artist ai weiwei continues to fight for artistic freedom of expression. Chinese artist and blogger ai weiwei has a knack for audaciously bold statements, whether hes helping to design the iconic birds nest stadium for the beijing olympics, dropping a han dynasty urn in an act of performance art, or writing a fiery post for his blog, which circumvents chinese state media to grapple openly with his governments policies.
Ai grew up in the far northwest of china, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his fathers exile. Browse content similar to ai weiwei without fear or favour. Arts documentary, first broadcast before ai weiwei s arrest by the chinese authorities in april 2011, and his subsequent release after being detained for 11 weeks. In 2011, ai weiwei was arrested at beijing capital international airport on 3 april, for economic crimes. That distinction has, over time, gone to everyone from the reigning pop masters of the shiny and commercial, to the young, grungy downtown painters of the unshiny and commercial. This book showcases a major exhibition of sitespecific, multimedia installations and sculptures ai weiwei has created for the island, on view from the fall of 2014 through the spring of 2015. These shows created the impression that ai was the boldest chinese voice in. Ai weiwei for the past decade, the art world seems increasingly preoccupied with finding and coronating an heir to andy warhols legacy. As an activist, he calls attention to human rights violations on an epic scale. Adding to my excitement i got the artist himself to sign it, since this was on the opening night of ai weiweis exhibition in the cycladic. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the chinese governments stance on democracy and human rights.
Mar 10, 2015 this book showcases a major exhibition of sitespecific, multimedia installations and sculptures ai weiwei has created for the island, on view from the fall of 2014 through the spring of 2015. Nov 22, 2012 still from the 2010 50 minute bbc documentary ai weiwei, without fear or favor on youtube 06. After living in the united states for twelve years, ai returned to china in 1993. The documentary never sorry on netflix or get it here bbc. Exploring the role of art as an agent of change, or what 100 million porcelain seeds. On 3 april, 2011, ai weiwei was detained under harsh conditions for over two months without any official charges being filed, on allegations of economic crimes. Jan 04, 2014 architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is chinas most famous and politically outspoken contemporary artist. This slim, pocketsized volume compiles quotes made by ai in interviews, in newspaper articles, on his blog, and via twitter. Architect, photographer, curator and blogger, ai weiwei is. The philosophy of ai weiwei from andy warhol and back. Im an admirer of aww and his views on art, politics, and freedom of expression. Still from the 2010 50 minute bbc documentary ai weiwei, without fear or favor on youtube 06. Former fbi negotiator chris voss at the australia real estate conference duration. At a press conference in central park, ai explained why he chose.
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