Ai Weiwei: Creative Resistance and the Power of Presence

Throwback to November 2021, when I had the incredible privilege of sitting front row at a sold-out event at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh - and meeting one of my artistic heroes: the extraordinary and courageous Ai Weiwei.

Signed book - Of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a dissident Chinese artist, documentarian, and outspoken activist. A relentless critic of China’s authoritarian regime, he has endured imprisonment, surveillance, and the destruction of his Beijing studios by state authorities. Branded an enemy of the state and one of China’s most dangerous citizens, he was eventually forced into exile. After a period living in the UK, he has now found a quieter life and sense of peace with his family in Portugal.

In Conversation event with Ai Weiwei - speaking with Patrick Elliot, National Galleries of Scotland

Ai Weiwei is perhaps most famously known for co-designing the Beijing National Stadium - the “Bird’s Nest” - for the 2008 Olympics. But in the years following, Ai Weiwei came to regret his involvement, later denouncing the project as a “fake smile” his homeland presented to the world. When the Games were awarded to Beijing in 2001, the International Olympic Committee had expressed hope they might improve human rights in China. That hope, as Ai Weiwei sharply observed, never truly materialised.

Instead, the lead-up to the Games saw migrant workers pushed out of the city, small businesses shuttered, and street vendors silenced. To hide the reality of poverty, the government erected billboards of tropical beaches and palm trees.

Standing in front of The Birds Nest, Beijing

During my own trip to Beijing in 2009, I visited the Bird’s Nest. I’ll never forget my tour guide quietly explaining how people with physical disabilities were ordered to stay out of sight during the 2008 Olympics so they wouldn’t be seen by international media. Shanty towns were bulldozed and replaced with glittering skyscrapers and Olympic villages - many of which now sit empty, unaffordable to local residents.

Standing in front of The Forbidden City, Beijing

I consider Ai Weiwei to be one of the world’s most important thinkers. I’ve followed his work for years - often fearing for his safety. It feels like a miracle that he is still here, still telling his story.

Through powerful installations, sculptures, and social media, Ai Weiwei continues to challenge the world to confront uncomfortable truths with clarity, conviction, and philosophical depth. His art is both deeply personal and politically charged - a lifetime of creative resistance against power and oppression.

Ai Weiwei, “Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads” at Yorkshire Sculpture Park

In 2006, despite difficulty typing, Ai Weiwei began blogging, sharing sharp critiques, art reflections, and personal stories until his blog was shut down in 2009. With almost 2700 posts, he exposed the government’s role in the Sichuan earthquake, reflected on Andy Warhol, condemned his “fraud” investigation, and put forward tax reform ideas.

For anyone interested in Ai Weiwei, this book is a must-read. It offers the most comprehensive English translation of his original Chinese blog:

Ai Weiwei’s Blog – Writings, Interviews, and Digital Rants, 2006–2009