
Ai WeiweiChinese, 1957May one see it?
New York, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
1981–1993
Discovers Duchamp, Warhol and Johns
In the United States Ai came to know the work of Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns and began making conceptual art by altering readymade objects.
1981–1993
Friendship with Allen Ginsberg
In New York Ai met the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg by chance at a poetry reading where Ginsberg read poems about China. Ginsberg had travelled to China and met Ai’s father, the poet Ai Qing, and so the two became friends.
1993
Returns to China because of his father’s illness
In 1993, after twelve years in the United States, Ai returned to China because his father had fallen ill.
1994
Founds the “China Art Archives and Warehouse”
In Beijing Ai founded the China Art Archives and Warehouse and became its director.
2003
Design expert for the Olympic stadium
Working with Herzog & de Meuron, Ai became a special design expert for the National Stadium of the 2008 Olympic Games, the “Bird’s Nest”.
19 November 2005
Starts a blog
Invited by Sina, China’s biggest internet platform, Ai started a blog; for four years he posted scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, and thoughts on art and architecture.