Tag: Ai Weiwei

The “Roots” exhibition by Ai Weiwei features a series of monumental sculptural works in iron cast from giant tree roots sourced in Brazil. The roots were found during Ai’s research and production for last year’s survey exhibition, “Raiz,” in São Paulo. Ai worked with local artisans and communities across Brazil, visiting Bahian rainforest to locate roots and trunks from the endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree, some of which could be over a thousand years old. The Roots’ works depict the state of “uprootedness” reflecting not only the artist’s peripatetic existence after being allowed to leave China in 2015 but also the plight of the refugees he has spent the last few years documenting, as well as various indigenous populations that rely on the trees and forests of Brazil for their habitats and sustenance. These works are related to previous bodies of work produced by Ai and the current political realities of many countries, including his native China. The Roots series uses cast iron covered in a patina of orange rust that responds to ancient cultures and man’s first tools for tree felling and woodworking, rather than to the recent, more polite art history of bronze or steel sculpture. Contrasting with these heavy, land-bound creatures is a number of floating figures, clouds, and dream-like vignettes. Finally, the show ends with a development of Ai’s experimentation with LEGO bricks to feature politically charged, pixelated renderings of the trajectory of a refugee boat refused docking at Lampedusa after two weeks at sea, the front page of the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election, as well as a deconstructed symbol of the contentious protests of Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Posted by hateruma_yaeyama on 2019-10-02 10:39:19

The Ai Weiwei: Roots exhibition showcases a new series of monumental sculptural works in iron, cast from giant tree roots Ai Weiwei sourced in Brazil during research and production for last year’s survey exhibition, Raiz. Ai worked with local artisans and communities across Brazil to locate roots and trunks from the endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree. Some of these roots could be over a thousand years old and were painstakingly moulded, conjoined and then cast to create striking compositions and bold forms that reflect their Brazilian heritage. The exhibition depicts the state of “uprootedness,” one that mirrors not only Ai’s peripatetic existence after being allowed to leave China in 2015, but also the plight of the refugees he has spent the last few years documenting, as well as the various indigenous populations that rely on the trees and forests of Brazil for their habitats and sustenance. The Roots series contrasts with floating figures, clouds, and dream-like vignettes that Ai has been producing delicate sculptures from stretched silk over bamboo armatures for the past five years. Alongside these sculptures are politically-charged, pixelated renderings of the trajectory of a refugee boat refused docking at Lampedusa after two weeks at sea, the front page of the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election, as well as a deconstructed symbol of the contentious protests of Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Posted by hateruma_yaeyama on 2019-10-02 10:37:07

Ai Weiwei’s “Roots” exhibition showcases a new series of monumental sculptural works created from giant tree roots sourced in Brazil. The artist worked with local artisans and communities to find roots and trunks from the endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree typically found in the Bahian rainforest. Cast from these rare roots, some of which are over a thousand years old, the sculptures create striking compositions and forms that reflect their Brazilian heritage. The exhibition’s sense of surreal displacement and alien disjointedness communicates themes of uprootedness and displacement, not only as it mirrors Ai Weiwei’s own exiled artist status, but also that of the plight of refugees he has documented and the indigenous populations living in Brazilian forests. The Roots series employs traditional, bygone methods of ‘lost wax’ moulding and then depositions via iron casting, reflecting the industrialisation and relentless modernisation that has supplanted much of ancient human practices. The exhibition also includes floating figures, clouds and dream-like vignettes, created with delicate sculptures crafted from stretched silk over bamboo armatures, produced by a Chinese kite-making collective. Finally, the exhibition features Lego brick-based works, politically charged and featuring pixelated renderings of a refugee boat refused docking after two weeks at sea, the Mueller report, and the symbol of contentious protests at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Posted by hateruma_yaeyama on 2019-10-02 10:39:18

Ai Weiwei’s exhibition, “Roots,” features a new series of monumental sculptural works in iron, cast from giant tree roots sourced from Brazil. The art pieces are a result of a year-long survey exhibition, “Raiz,” at the Oscar Niemeyer-designed OCA Pavilion in Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo. Ai Weiwei worked with local artisans and communities across Brazil to create the project, visiting Trancoso in the east to locate roots and trunks from the endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree, typically found in the Bahian rainforest. Elements of these rare tree roots, some of which could be over a thousand years old, were meticulously molded, conjoined, and cast to make striking compositions and bold forms that reflect their Brazilian heritage.

The use of such material signifies craft work that has traditionally been employed in ancient cultures and the first tools used for tree felling and woodworking. Unlike the modern polite art history of bronze or steel sculpture, the cast iron covered in a patina of orange rust adds to the sculpture’s antiquity. It is a traditional way of life that has been overtaken by industrialisation and the relentless pace of modernisation, highlighting how progress can often come at the expense of cultural and societal well-being. One major theme featured in the exhibition is the state of uprootedness that reflects the artist’s peripatetic existence after being allowed to leave China in 2015, as well as the plight of refugees documented by Ai over the past few years. 

Alongside the large sculptures are floating figures, clouds, and dream-like vignettes. Ai has been creating delicate sculptures from stretched silk over bamboo armatures for the past five years, often referring to a mythological encyclopaedia of monsters and creatures known as Shan Hai Jing. Ai’s kites draw inspiration from the imaginary creatures depicted in the encyclopaedia, including griffins and dragons. The artist has added personal and childhood symbols, as well as references to his previous works, including the Surveillance Camera and his one-fingered salutes, and those of his influences, including Marcel Duchamp and Vladimir Tatlin. 

The exhibition concludes with a development of Ai’s experimentation with LEGO bricks. These new wall-based works feature politically charged renderings of a refugee boat refused docking at Lampedusa after two weeks at sea, the front page of the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election, and a deconstructed symbol of the contentious protests of Tiananmen Square in 1989.

The art pieces are not just about artistic expressions but also have important environmental, cultural, and political messages. Population displacement, deforestation, and conservation are just a few of the subjects that Ai touches on in his art. The exhibition received much attention and drew many visitors, making it a success.

Posted by hateruma_yaeyama on 2019-10-02 10:39:17

The Ai Weiwei: Roots exhibition, running from 2 October to 2 November 2019, boasts a series of monumental sculptural works in iron, cast from giant tree roots sourced in Brazil. Ai Weiwei created each piece working with local artisans and communities across Brazil, visiting Trancoso in the east to specifically locate roots and trunks from the endangered Pequi Vinagreiro tree, typically found in the Bahian rainforest. Elements of these rare tree roots, some of which could be over a thousand years old, were then painstakingly moulded, conjoined and then cast to create striking compositions and bold forms that reflect their Brazilian heritage. While some resemble great jungle beasts or fantastical creatures, such as the three and four-legged works Fly and Level, others including Party and Martin (all 2019) consist of shattered, exploded root forms radiating outwards from a central nexus.

The artworks’ depiction of the state of ‘uprootedness’ mirrors not only the artist’s peripatetic existence after being allowed to leave China in 2015 but also the plight of the refugees he has spent the last few years documenting, as well as the various indigenous populations that rely on the trees and forests of Brazil for their habitats and sustenance. Moreover, the deforestation and purging of peoples and resources relates to previous bodies of work produced by Ai and to the current political realities of many countries, including his native China.

The material employed in making the Roots series, cast iron covered in a patina of orange rust, likewise responds to ancient cultures and man’s first tools for tree felling and woodworking. Furthermore, the methods used to rank amongst a traditional, largely bygone way of life that has been usurped and upended by industrialisation and relentless modernisation, illustrating how progress can often come at the expense of cultural and societal well-being.

In contrast to these heavy, land-bound sculptures are floating figures, clouds and dream-like vignettes. Ai has been producing delicate sculptures from stretched silk over bamboo armatures for the past five years, employing a group of Chinese kite makers based in Weifang. Ai’s kites refer back to a mythological encyclopaedia of monsters and creatures known as Shan Hai Jing (the Classic of Mountains and Seas) that also pre-dated Christianity, which depicts fantastical hybrids of chimera, gorgons, unicorns, dragons and griffins. Alongside this bestiary, Ai has added personal and childhood symbols, as well as references back to his own works.

Finally, the show ends with a development of Ai’s experimentation using LEGO bricks. These new wall-based works feature politically-charged, pixelated renderings of a refugee boat refused docking at Lampedusa following two weeks at sea, the front page of the Mueller report into Russian interference in the 2016 US Presidential election, as well as a deconstructed symbol of the contentious protests of Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Posted by hateruma_yaeyama on 2019-10-02 10:39:13