Ai Weiwei Hon RA (b. 1957)
Ai Weiwei Hon RA (b. 1957)
Ai Weiwei is an artist. Born in 1957, he currently resides and works in Beijing, China. From architecture to installations, social media to documentaries, Ai uses a wide range of mediums as expressions to set up new possibilities and conditions for his audience to examine society and its values.
Recent exhibitions include Evidence at the Martin-Gropius-Bau in Berlin, Ai Weiwei: According to What? at the Brooklyn Museum in New York, Ai Weiwei at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock UK, and @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz in San Francisco.
A major exhibition of his work, Ai Weiwei is at the Royal Academy from 19 September until 13 December 2015.
Profile
Honorary RA
Born: 1957 in Beijing, China
Nationality: Chinese
Elected Hon RA: 26 May 2011
Gender: Male
Preferred media: Sculpture, Installation art, Architecture, and Film making
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Gallery
![Ai Weiwei, Tree]()
Ai Weiwei, Tree, 2009-10.
![Ai Weiwei, Coloured Vases]()
Ai Weiwei, Coloured Vases, 2015.
![Ai Weiwei, Remains]()
Ai Weiwei, Remains, 2015.
![Ai Weiwei, Free Speech Puzzle]()
Ai Weiwei, Free Speech Puzzle, 2014.
![Ai Weiwei, Straight]()
Ai Weiwei, Straight, 2008–2012.
![Ai Weiwei, S.A.C.R.E.D. (detail)]()
Ai Weiwei, S.A.C.R.E.D. (detail), 2012.
![Ai Weiwei, Treasure Box]()
Ai Weiwei, Treasure Box, 2014.
![Ai Weiwei, Coca-Cola Vase]()
Ai Weiwei, Coca-Cola Vase, 2014.
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Ai Weiwei: selected CV
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Solo exhibitions
2015 Ruptures, Faurschou Foundation, Copenhagen
Ai Weiwei, Galleria Continua, Beijing
Ai Weiwei, Tang Contemporary Art Center, Beijing
A.B. Blood Type, Magician Space, Beijing
Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Chambers Fine Art, Beijing
Beijing 2003, Being 3 Gallery, Beijing
2014 @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz, Alcatraz Island, San Francisco
Ai Weiwei in the Chapel, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Wakefield
Ai Weiwei, Lisson Gallery, London
According to What?, Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn
Evidence, Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin
Sunflower Seeds, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich
Baby Formula, Ayala Museum, Makati City, Metro Manila
Ai Weiwei, Christine Ko?nig Galerie, Vienna -
Group exhibitions
2015 The 56th International Art Exhibition - All the Worlds Future’s, Venice Art Biennale
Go East, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
2014 Taiping Tianguo: A History of Possible Encounters, e-flux, New York
State of Emergency, Davidson College, Belk Visual Arts Center, Davidson, USA
Beyond and Between, Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
Beyond Stuff, Mizuma Gallery, Singapore
The 14th International Architecture Exhibition - Fundamentals, Venice Architecture Biennale
Unscrolled: Reframing Tradition in Chinese Contemporary Art, Vancouver, Canada -
Selected honours and awards
2015 Ambassador of Conscience Award by Amnesty International
2014 ArtReview Power 100, rank 15
2013 ArtReview Power 100, rank 9
2012 Vaclav Havel Prize for Creative Dissent of the Human Rights Foundation
Honorary fellowship from the Royal Institute of British Architects, London
Art Review Power 100, rank 3
2011 TIME Magazine Person of the Year 2011, Runner-up
Foreign Policy Top Global Thinkers of 2011, rank 18
The Art Review Power 100, rank 1
Membership at the Academy of Arts, Berlin, Germany
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