Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist. Born on August 28, 1957, he grew up in the far northwest of China under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. Ai has been openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights, investigating government corruption and cover-ups. Notably, he exposed the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested and detained for 81 days without charge. He is recognized as a vital instigator in Chinese cultural development and a prominent architect of Chinese modernism. Ai Weiwei's sculptures, photographs, and public works reflect his political conviction and personal poetry.