Ai Weiwei on Being a ‘Chinese Dissident Artist’

Ai Weiwei is often referred to as a ‘Chinese dissident artist’, but how does he see himself, his work, and a life shaped by politics, exile, and art?

In his art, Ai Weiwei transforms thousands of discarded refugee life jackets, millions of porcelain seeds, and even buttons and Lego bricks into monuments for the forgotten. Having been shadowed and detained by the Chinese state, he knows better than anyone the true price of artistic freedom.

In this episode of Writers & Thinkers Stage, you will hear Ai in conversation with Belgian art historian and curator Chris Dercon, Director General of the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain in Paris. Together, they talk about fake Lego, subversion, scale and Ai’s personal and artistic motivations.

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Credits Guest: Ai Weiwei. Interview: Chris Dercon. Co-production original talk: Patrick Derom Gallery. Presentation & editing: Joline Vermeulen. Production & post-production: Seden Anlar. Graphic design: Jonas Mergan. Music: “Broken Circuits” — Telecasted, YouTube Audio Library.