ai wei wei

Question 1

practice

Answer 1

Ai Weiwei’s material practice is diverse and includes the use of found objects, porcelain, pottery, wood, stone and bronze casting. He often combines traditional Chinese craftsmanship with modern techniques, collaborating with artisans. His work carries strong political and social commentary, addressing issues such as human rights and censorship in China. Ai Weiwei also creates site-specific installations that engage with the location and its history, and he documents his work and activism through photography.

Question 2

cultural dropping a han dynasty urn

Answer 2

• iconoclasm
• valued at 1 million dollars
• promoting Confucianism, opening silk road, altering the course of Chinese history
• contemporary symbol of leaving glorified tradition unquestioned
• photographic documentation of the urn highlights his agency
• intentional commentary of fluidity of culture, reevaluating the past
• cultural heritage as static, questions value of cultural icons

Ai Wei Wei embraces the concept of iconoclasm, where cherished symbols or objects are intentionally destroyed. The urn, valued at 1 million dollars, is known for promoting Confucianism as the state religion and for opening the Silk Road trade route to Europe, permanently altering the course of Chinese history. Ai Weiwei engages in iconoclastic behaviour through his photographic documentation of smashing the urn, highlighting his agency and intentional commentary on the fluidity of cultural meaning and the need to reevaluate the past within a contemporary context. His work questions the inherent value and preservation of cultural icons and challenges the concept of cultural heritage as static and untouchable.

Question 3

structural dropping a han dynasty urn

Answer 3

Absence of colour

• Black and white photography eliminates the distraction of colour, directing the viewer’s attention towards the form, texture, and contrast within the images
• Visual elements ie texture of urn more pronounced, juxtaposed with the contemporary act of its destruction
• Strips away any temporal or cultural associations tied to specific colors, cultural destruction and transformation are enduring themes throughout history (universality)

Use of photography as a medium

• The photographs are presented in a sequence, this emphasises the intentionality behind the urn’s destruction as well as the finality of the act.

Spatial relationships and composition

• The spatial relationships within the photographs, especially in the third image where the urn is in mid-shatter, convey a sense of tension and disruption. The arrangement of the broken pieces in space creates a chaotic and disordered composition, challenging Chinese values of static cultural history as well as the value placed on fragile cultural icons.

Question 4

postmodern dropping a han dynasty urn

Answer 4

recontextualisation:
The shattered urn, displayed as an artwork, is recontextualized within the realm of contemporary art. It ceases to be a functional object or a historical relic and becomes a statement on the commodification of culture. This shift in context invites viewers to reevaluate their perceptions of cultural value and the art world.

Blurring boundaries
Ai Weiwei’s work blurs the boundaries between art, activism, and cultural critique. This interdisciplinary approach is characteristic of postmodernism, as it challenges the traditional categories and hierarchies within the art world. The act of destruction becomes a form of artistic expression and political commentary.

Question 5

artist

Answer 5

28 August 1957, beijing

Question 6

artwork

Question 7

world

Question 8

audience

Question 9

context

Question 10

ideas/themes

Question 11

art critic/historian

Question 12

subjective sunflower seeds

Question 13

structural sunflower seeds

Question 14

cultural sunflower seeds

Question 15

postmodern sunflower seeds