Ai Weiwei is known for far more than his art alone. His advocacy for freedom of expression and resistance to authoritarian power resonates far beyond the art world. Social and political engagement lie at the center of his work: whether bringing 1,001 Chinese citizens from every social class and province to Documenta 12, scattering 100 million handcrafted porcelain sunflower seeds across the Turbine Hall of Tate Modern, commemorating the children who died in the Sichuan earthquake through a monumental installation of school backpacks, or visiting refugee camps around the world for his film Human Flow in order to approach individual human stories within mass displacement. Because of his relentless criticism of the Chinese government, Ai was detained by police for 81 days in 2011, and his passport was confiscated. Despite international protests, it was not returned until 2015. Since regaining the ability to travel freely — first to Berlin and later to Portugal — Ai has become a truly global artist whose activism and artistic practice remain inseparable.

This substantially updated edition of TASCHEN’s Ai Weiwei monograph focuses on the most recent decade of artistic production and activism from one of the most politically engaged artists of our time. Covering more than forty years of work, the volume moves from Ai’s New York exile in the 1980s through the sculptures created after his return to China, rooted in traditional craft techniques, to his most recent works conceived in Europe: mosaics made from toy bricks, films, and human rights installations. The book itself also stands as a historical document. Originally conceived as the first major monograph on the artist while he was still being detained in China, the same editorial team has now reunited to continue the story.

Numerous images from the artist’s archive document studio life, the production of artworks, and political actions. These are accompanied by statements written by Ai specifically for this edition, along with three essays examining his life and work. Independent curator Roger M. Buergel and art historian Alfred Weidinger — both of whom collaborated with Ai on major exhibitions — trace the development of his artistic themes and practice, while longtime friend, collector, and entrepreneur Uli Sigg contributes a personal portrait of the artist from two different moments in time.

DETAILS • Author: Ai Weiwei • Publisher: Taschen • Format: Hardcover