Ai Weiwei

Personal Info

Known For

Directing

Known Credits

35

Gender

Male

Birthday

1957-08-28 (68 years old)

Place of Birth

Beijing, China

Ai Weiwei

Biography

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist. Ai grew up in the far north-west of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of schools in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Capital International Airport on 3 April, for allegedly economic crimes. He was detained for 81 days without charge. Ai Weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in Chinese cultural development, an architect of Chinese modernism, and one of the nation's most vocal political commentators. Ai Weiwei encapsulates political conviction and his personal poetry in his many sculptures, photographs and public works. In doing this, he makes use of Chinese art forms to display the Chinese political and social issues. After being allowed to leave China in 2015, he has lived in Berlin, Germany, and, since 2019, in Cambridge, UK, with his family, working and traveling internationally.

Known For

  • The Daily Show

    The Daily Show

  • Morgenmagazin

    Morgenmagazin

  • Kulturplatz

    Kulturplatz

  • Bambi

    Bambi

  • Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

    Firing Line with Margaret Hoover

  • Vincent van Gogh Superstar

    Vincent van Gogh Superstar

  • Why Are We Creative?

    Why Are We Creative?

  • The Trainer

    The Trainer

  • Ai Weiwei: Without Fear or Favour

    Ai Weiwei: Without Fear or Favour

  • Clockwork Orange: The Prophecy

    Clockwork Orange: The Prophecy

  • Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case

    Ai Weiwei: The Fake Case

  • Ai Weiwei - Evidence

    Ai Weiwei - Evidence

  • KUN 13: Criticizing Ai Weiwei and Wu Haohao

    KUN 13: Criticizing Ai Weiwei and Wu Haohao

  • The Sand Storm

    The Sand Storm

  • Disturbing the Peace

    Disturbing the Peace

  • Hormone

    Hormone

  • Artsnight

    Artsnight

  • Little Girl's Cheeks

    Little Girl's Cheeks

  • Aux arts et cætera

    Aux arts et cætera

  • Eat, Drink and Be Merry

    Eat, Drink and Be Merry

  • Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

    Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

  • Ithaka

    Ithaka

  • Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly

    Ai Weiwei: Yours Truly

  • Laogai: Prison Nation - Inside China's Ruling System

    Laogai: Prison Nation - Inside China's Ruling System

  • The Chinese Lives of Uli Sigg

    The Chinese Lives of Uli Sigg

  • Ai Weiwei en Buenos Aires

    Ai Weiwei en Buenos Aires

  • The Rest

    The Rest

  • Ai Weiwei Drifting

    Ai Weiwei Drifting

  • Ai Weiwei's Appeal ¥15,220,910.50

    Ai Weiwei's Appeal ¥15,220,910.50

  • Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War

    Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War

  • Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema

    Flowers of Taipei: Taiwan New Cinema

  • Free to Create - Artists in Exile

    Free to Create - Artists in Exile

  • Ai Weiwei's Turandot

    Ai Weiwei's Turandot

  • Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies

    Propaganda: The Art of Selling Lies

  • Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds

    Ai Weiwei: Sunflower Seeds