Ai Weiwei

March 4, 2019
In this follow up to Ai Weiwei: New York Photographs 1983–1993, Chinese artist, architect, and activist Weiwei crafts a fascinating, deeply personal photographic diary of life in Beijing from 1993 to 2003. Despite having lived in New York City for the previous decade, Ai wasn’t particularly enamored by the experience and decided to return home to be closer to his sick father. Many of his black-and-white photos, such as those of brother Ai Dan and future wife Lu Qing, seem carefree and light—everyday images that could fit perfectly in a family photo album. Images of his father, the famous poet Ai Qing (1910–1996), who was imprisoned and later exiled to Northeast China, meanwhile, suggest Weiwei is trying to preserve his father’s legacy before government propaganda hijacks it (among the photographs are those capturing Qing sitting stoically in his wheelchair). Provocative self-portraits of Weiwei in front of Tiananmen Square (he’s pictured shirtless, with the word fuck painted on his chest) and shots of the destruction of ancient artifacts are direct challenges to China’s Communist government. Of particular interest to fans of Weiwei’s work, this excellent collection is also a passionate cry for freedom of speech.