Ai Wei Wei Research & Exhibition

OUGD403

Ai Wei Wei Research and Exhibition 

The artist Ai Wei Wei, I have chosen to research further. His work from the exhibition at Yorkshire Sculpture Park has greatly inspired me and my work. Reflecting how differently I can now view typographic form in relation to sculpture and 3D Form. His work is unique and has a lot of background which intrigued me. The artist himself also has an interesting background which he involves or communicates in some of his work. I have chosen to rebrand this artist in a logotype form. To visually communicate Ai Wei Wei’s background and encouraging me to relate to his “Zodiac Heads” exhibition. His work has encouraged me to focus on his culture this would make an interesting type form but also relate it to context making the overall type more intriguing. The exhibition in Yorkshire Sculpture Park represents the traditional Chinese Zodiac which used to be located in the famous fountain clock of the Yuanming Yuan the imperial palace retreat in Beijing. Although the Palace was ransacked in the 1860s, this took place during the Opium War by the French and the British. Unfortunately only seven of the original heads have been returned to China, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, horse, monkey and boar. The current location of the remaining five the dragon, snake, goat, rooster and dog still remain unknown. Ai Wei Wei has been very successful as an artist this was recognised as is in 2015 he was awarded the Ambassador of Conscience Award by Amnesty International. Ai Wei Wei works in a bigger scale The Zodiac heads were cast in bronze and stand three metres high. They each weigh 363kg. Ai also encourages comments or debates in a variety of different areas such as politics of ownership, cultural history repatriation and authenticity. His goal is also to make his work playful and more accessible to the viewers or the public.
 “ I want this to be seen as an object that doesn’t have monumental quality, but rather is a funny piece…people can relate to or interpret on many different levels, because everybody has a zodiac connection.” Ai Wei Wei 

“Society allows artists to explore what we don’t know in ways that are distinct from the approaches of science, religion and philosophy. As a result, art bears a unique responsibility in the search for truth.” Ai Wei Wei

Ai Wei Wei is a known activist and calls attention to human rights violations particularly on a wide scale. Therefore, some people consider him a threat to “harmonious society.” Ai’s dramatic actions in some of his work such as smashing of the dynasty vase, highlight the gap between the ideal and real Chinese society. He is also known as one of the first few conceptual artists to make use of social media such as Instagram. 


Other Key Information:

I have chosen to base my ideas on an aspect of Ai Wei Wei's life. During the period he was under house arrest I will use type to portray this in my ideas.

• "Ai became more discovered as an art student in 1990s New York. He soon travelled home to China, an environment far less open to certain views. In Ai's words, "China and the U.S. are two societies with very different attitudes towards opinion and criticism." He saw the contrariety, and refused to just simply agree. He even actually put his life on the line or in danger in many ways just to defend freedom of expression."

• "He was a professional blackjack player for a period earlier in his life. His work demonstrates risk for example personal, professional, and politically he considered a number of factors throughout his design processes. He also encouraged to test the limits of freedom. His work is designed to help us remember that risks are essential part of exercise within a free society."

• "Under government watch for almost ten years, Ai has produced very thoughtful work fitting the contemporary topic. It is as important in current popular culture for example, the hippies in the 1960s."