Tables crawling up the wall, porcelain teapot spouts piled in a heap, carved feet broken from Buddhist statuary set out upon plinths: the early works of Ai Weiwei continually return to the history of Chinese craft. In this talk, we explore Ai Weiwei’s fascination with the idea of craftsmanship as he engages unknown artisans, raw materials, and craft techniques through installations that reference past traditions and present forms of making things in China. Even as his current projects document global politics, this talk asks: has Ai Weiwei always been a craftivist?
Presented by Christine I. Ho, associate professor in the History of Art and Architecture department at the University of Massachusetts.
Join us in-person or online!
If you plan to attend in person at the Museums, tickets are available on the day of the lecture in the Welcome Center.
To attend via ZOOM, please register in advance.
Images courtesy of Christine I. Ho
