Berkeley Talks

Chinese activist Ai WeiWei on art, exile and politics

Oct 6, 2023

Chinese activist Ai WeiWei discusses art, exile, and politics. They reflect on wastefulness in American society, discuss experiences in Berkeley, and talk about Wei Wei's unique artwork. They delve into the concept of art as a means of expression and the artist's role in society, and discuss the impact of the refugee crisis. They also discuss Xi Jinping and China's rise, the human rights situation in China and Tibet, and the challenges faced by minority groups.

01:29:40

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Episode guests

Ai WeiWei

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Ai WeiWei combines art and activism, using his work as a tool for addressing real-world problems and challenging societal norms.

Wayway's formative years in China and experiences in prison camps with his father greatly influenced his art and worldview.

Wayway navigates the tension between his love for Chinese culture and his criticism of the government by creating art that sheds light on social and political issues, advocating for human rights.

Deep dives

Wayway's exploration of art and activism

Wayway combines art and activism in his work, using art as a medium to address real-world problems and create a connection between people. His projects often involve large teams of people and cover entire cities, bringing together diverse voices and perspectives. He believes that art and activism are inseparable, and that artists have a responsibility to challenge societal norms and fight for social justice.

Introduction

3min

Reflections on Wastefulness and Scarcity

2min

Time in Berkeley, Supportive T-shirt, and Hammer Crash Act

2min

Surveillance Cameras and Privacy

10min

Wei Wei's Studio and Antiquities

24min

The Impact of the Refugee Crisis

30min

Thoughts on Xi Jinping and China's Rise

16min

Human Rights Situation and the Challenges Faced by Tibet

3min

In Berkeley Talks episode 181, renowned artist and human rights activist Ai WeiWei discusses art, exile and politics in a conversation with noted theater director and UCLA professor Peter Sellars and Orville Schell, director of the Center on U.S.-China Relations at the Asia Society and former dean of Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.

Ai, who grew up in northwest China under harsh conditions because of his poet father's exile, is openly critical of the Chinese government's stance on democracy and human rights. He is well-known for his provocative works, including his 2014-15 installation on San Francisco Bay's Alcatraz Island, @Large, that the LA Times called, "an always-poignant, often-powerful meditation on soul-deadening repressions of human thought and feeling."

"Normally, people call me an artist or activist, and I am often forced into one condition," he says. "It's not that I intentionally try to create something or to crystallize something, but rather I've been put in extreme conditions, and I have to focus on dealing with those situations. Normally, I don't accept the easy answer.

"So I think I have to find a language to illustrate my expression, and it comes out in certain ideas or materials. We can call it art. I don't think my art really looks like art, but still, it's hard to categorize it. I'm a bit ashamed about it because everything in real life, it has a purpose. It has clear problems and solutions. But the art is not really about that. It rather creates problems after problems. So yeah, that's what I do."

This Sept. 24 event was co-presented by Cal Performances, the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (BAMPFA) and the Townsend Center for the Humanities.

Read about 10 of Ai WeiWei's adventurous works on Cal Performances' blog Beyond the Stage.

Listen to the episode and read the transcript on Berkeley News (news.berkeley.edu)

Music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Photo courtesy of Ai WeiWei.

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