Ai was born in 1957 in Beijing, China. Soon after, his family was sent to a labour camp in Beidahuang, Heilongjiang because his father, the poet Ai Qing, criticized Moaist communism. His family was then exiled to Shihezi, Xinjiang in North West China for 16 years before going back to Beijing following the death of Mao Zedong. After China allowed citizens to go abroad in the 1980’s, Ai went to the US to study and he began producing art during this time. He returned to Beijing in 1993 because of his father’s ailing health.

Ai is a contemporary artist and political activist, known for his criticism of the Chinese government. One example of this, is the documentary and artwork he created following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake and subsequent government coverup of the poor school construction leading to the death of over 5,000 children. He was arrested and detained by the Chinese government in 2011 for 3 months. Upon release, he was given a large fine (the money was raised by his supporters worldwide), his passport was confiscated and he was placed under house arrest until 2016 after which he promptly moved to Europe.

His thought provoking work bridges the East and West; many of his works incorporate historical Chinese art and his political critique. Ai’s work spans documentaries, photography, poetry, art installations and architecture. His work has received global recognition. Most heralded works include “Sunflower Seeds”- 100 million ceramic sunflower seeds that were hand painted by 1600 Jingdezhen artisans, and being artistic consultant on the design “The Bird’s Nest” for the 2008 Beijing’s Olympic Stadium (which he has never stepped foot in after it was completed). His memoir, “1000 Years of Joy and Sorrows” comes out in November 2021 (https://sites.prh.com/aww).

“If my art has any meaning, it is as a tool for freedom. If I see people victimised by authoritarianism, I am a soldier in defending their freedom. I can be as brutal as any animal to protect the essential value I love.”- Ai Wei Wei in https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/jan/21/ai-weiwei-on-his-new-life-in-britain-germany-virtual-reality-film

Twitter & Instagram: @aiww