Ai Qimeng Paintings

Ai Qimeng, better known as Ai Weiwei, is a contemporary Chinese artist and activist whose work encompasses a wide range of mediums, including sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. Ai Weiwei was born on August 28, 1928, in Beijing, China, to the noted poet Ai Qing, who was denounced during the Anti-Rightist Movement and subsequently sent to a labour camp in Xinjiang with his family, including young Ai Weiwei.

Ai Weiwei's career in art began with his attendance at the Beijing Film Academy and later, his involvement with the early avant-garde art group the 'Stars', which was active from 1979 to 1983. In 1981, he moved to the United States, where he lived for over a decade, studying at the Parsons School of Design and the Art Students League of New York, and coming into contact with the works of artists like Marcel Duchamp and Andy Warhol, which would have profound influences on his future art.

Returning to China in 1993 due to his father's illness, Ai Weiwei began to engage more directly with Chinese cultural history and contemporary socio-political issues. His work increasingly combined traditional materials and methods with new methods of expression, often with a critical edge. His 2008 installation 'Remembering', which used 9,000 children's backpacks, was a response to the Sichuan earthquake and a commentary on the government's negligence, particularly in the construction of public schools.

Ai Weiwei's activism and outspoken criticism of the Chinese government's stance on democracy and human rights have led to numerous confrontations with authorities, including his arrest in 2011, which sparked a global outcry for his release. His art and his activism are deeply intertwined, creating a body of work that is both aesthetically powerful and politically provocative.

Despite the mistaken birth year provided here (Ai Weiwei was indeed born in 1957, not 1928), Ai Weiwei's influence extends beyond the art world into the realm of social action, making him one of the most prominent and important artists of the early 21st century. He continues to address issues of human rights, freedom of expression, and the role of the artist in society through his diverse and impactful body of work.