His art has proven Ai Weiwei as one of the great visionaries of the twentieth century. He uses reclaimed materials in combination with modern technique to create a paradoxical piece. After a great Earthquake in Beijing where many young school children perished due to the lack of building codes and poor engineering of the schools, Wei used this tragedy as a ploy to express the danger in Chinese public code. Using the backpacks of the deceased children, Wei built a huge serpent, white and black in color, that extends over 100 feet and winds along the ceiling of his gallery. The serpent is symbolic of the collusive nature of China's public policies; leaving citizens in blatant danger while turning their eyes away from the problem.
Wei also makes a bold statement in his piece, Dropping The Urn. Wei is photographed dropping an ancient, sacred urn into the ground, smashing it to bits. The photo set is then surrounded by urns, age old pottery that has been revamped by the artist and covered in bright glazes, to obscure the traditional designs beneath.. Together, the pieces depict Wei's rebellion against traditionalist society, waiving in a new generation of artists and idealists to advance his country.
Wei is in no way opposed to his roots. In fact, the artist takes great pride in his heritage and connection to China. He does, however, speak out against the government through his creativity and has been punished for doing so. Current;y, the artist resides in Beijing, unable to leave his home and under constant camera supervision. Rumors have it that Wei's piece in the works features the very cameras that keep him chained to his house.
The world is always eager for new material from Ai Weiwei, and the artist has certainly earned his righteous place among some of the most innovative, and influential artists and activists of all time.
As always, comments are greatly appreciated. Information on the artists history/vision was derived from here.
