ai weiwei: interlacing at fotomuseum winterthur

ai weiwei
june 1994, 1994
c-print, 117,5 x 152 cm
© ai weiwei


ai weiwei: interlacing
fotomuseum winterthur,  switzerland
on now until august 21st, 2011

ai weiwei is a socially critical artist known for creating friction. working as an activist, architect, blogger, conceptual artist,
sculptor, photographer, twitterer, interview arts, and cultural critic, he is an observer of current topics and social problems.
in short, a communicator and networker who brings life into art, and art into life.



ai weiwei
ai weiwei. williamsburg, brooklyn, 1983
from new york photographs, 1983-1993
c-print, 29,2 x 20 cm
© ai weiwei


blurring the lines between art and social activism, ai weiwei confronts pressing issues in his native country of china,
and the world, through photgraphically documenting the architectonic clear-cutting of beijing in the name of progress
with provocative measurements of the world, with radical cuts in the past in order to create possibilities for the present
and the future through thousands of blog entries, cell phone photographs and artistic declarations.



ai weiwei
12/21/07, FAKE design, beijing
from blog photographs, c. 2005-2009
© ai weiwei


'interlacing' at the fotomuseum winerthur is the first large exhibition and book project of ai weiwei's photography and video,
bringing forth the artist's diversity and complexity, his ability to 'interlace' and network. ai weiwei's plays an important roll.
our society needs figures like him to ruffle the feathers of authorities, making us realize or stubborness and to bring attention
to issues that are often overlooked or hidden from the public.



ai weiwei
anton wei. lorimer avenue apartment, brooklyn, 1983
from new york photographs, 1983-1993
c-print, 19,6 x 28,4 cm
© ai weiwei


on april 3rd, 2011 ai weiwei was detained and taken away by police at beijing international airport and there was no word
of his whereabouts for more than a month. finally, on may, 16th, 2011, ai weiwei's wife was given a 10 minute to visit with him.

'we are deeply saddened that the completion of this exhibition coincides with ai weiwei's arrest. we are extremely concerned
about the artist. and we wish that this great thinker, designer, and fighter will remain a resistant public voice for all of us
- and especially for china.' - fotomuseum winterhur



ai weiwei
profile of duchamp, sunflower seeds, 1983
from new york photographs, 1983-1993
c-print, 20 x 28,5 cm
© ai weiwei



ai weiwei
6/1/08, wenchuan, china
from blog photographs, c. 2005-2009
© ai weiwei



ai weiwei
6/1/08, wenchuan, china
from blog photographs, c. 2005-2009
© ai weiwei



ai weiwei
august 12, 2009
from blog photographs, c. 2005-2009
© ai weiwei


ai weiwei
study of perspective – tiananmen, 1995-2010
c-print, 32,5 x 43,5 cm
© ai weiwei

ai weiwei
study of perspective - the eiffel tower, 1995-2010
c-print, 32,5 x 49,5 cm
© ai weiwei

ai weiwei
© ai weiwei