A critical examination of the human condition and artistic
responsibility through the eyes of Ai Weiwei.
Internationally renowned for his multimedia work as an artist-activist,
Ai Weiwei has become one of the foremost political artists today. Ai
Weiwei: In Search of Humanity offers the reader an in-depth examination
of the aspect of humanity and artistic responsibility in Ai Weiwei's
work. The catalog includes key works from all phases of the artist's
career, focusing on works that shed light on themes that have long
compelled him: surveillance, censorship, human rights, freedom of
expression, the global refugee crisis, radical responsibility, the power
of beauty, and the truth of poetry. Guided by these concerns, it offers
new perspectives to understand the relevance of Ai Weiwei's artistic
language. It encompasses a wide range of art historical paradigms (such
as the readymade) alongside more radical activist strategies, all aimed
at exploring the extremes of the contemporary human condition on a
global scale.