China's Implicit Ban On Ai Weiwei's Art Is Lifted

Four years after his arrest in China, legendary artist Ai Weiwei is finally showing art again in his native country – he currently has four shows up in the country’s capital city of Beijing. The uncontested opening of his shows came as a surprise to Weiwei and his fans, considering the fact that none of his artwork had been shown in China since his arrest. He told The Art Newspaper that he “never planned to have a few shows all at once,” and that his first show at Galleria Continua and Tang Contemporary Art “has made a lot of people aware that this guy can have a show [in China].” The other spaces showcasing his work include Magician Space and Chambers Fine Art.

Ai Weiwei’s use of social media surrounding the death of schoolchildren in the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake led to his arrest in 2011, but he has long been at odds with the Chinese government. His interaction with the “West” specifically, as well as his championing of internet freedom, has made him a controversial figure in the country and beyond. But for Weiwei, the Chinese government’s passivity in regards to his shows represents a step in the right direction. “The nation, however oppressive, is working towards a more level society, within the rule of law,” he told The Art Newspaper.

On a cultural level, it is important to Ai that his work is shown in local galleries. “It is good to show in my own country,” he told The Art Newspaper. “I can face the criticisms of artists and other people here. It brings back a piece of the puzzle of reality.”

Chinese reception of the work has also been positive. Frederica Beltrame, Continua’s director, told The Art Newspaper that, despite thinking Ai Weiwei“did not have supporters” in China, the show had a great turnout. “There were 2,000 people at the opening – the most visitors we’ve had,” Beltrame said.

Ai Weiwei has been in the news for several reasons in the past couple of months.

One of his sculptural pieces entitled “Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads” recently sold for 3.4 million pounds – an auction record for the artist – in London. Meanwhile, Twitter has alighted with praises for one of his latest pieces, called An Archive. It’s a collection of five years’ worth of the artist’s tweets, printed on rice paper. It was also announced that the artist’s works will be shown next to a collection of Andy Warhol’s at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne starting in December 2016.

Spouts Installation at Galleria Continua