Ai Weiwei Making Sense By Justin Mcguirk hardcover

Book Synopsis

Ai Weiweis archaeological exploration of the histories and skills that have been ignored or erased， through objects from his personal collections

Known around the world for his powerful art and activism， Ai Weiwei (born 1957) does not differentiate between disciplines: his practice glides across art， architecture， design， film， collecting and curating. Richly illustrated with over 200 images， Ai Weiwei: Making Sense is the first major publication to present Ais work as a commentary on design and what it reveals about our changing values. It presents a selection of Ais collected objects， from ancient stone axe heads to porcelain teapot spouts， from Neolithic tools to modern mass-produced products， as well as new works created specifically for the Design Museum. These collections draw from the artists fascination with historical Chinese artifacts， placing their craftsmanship in dialogue with Chinas more recent history of demolition and urban development. Also featured are essays by leading experts covering dominant themes in Ais work， such as craft， collecting and the urbanization and industrialization of China. It concludes with an interview between renowned British Israeli architect Eyal Weizman and Ai himself.

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