Finally released from a house arrest by the government after 600 days on 22th of July, Ai Weiwei has been very active in the recent months. The Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Málaga is currently exhibiting his touring show Circle of Animals / Zodiac Heads, which is his first showing in Spain.
First introduced at the 29th São Paulo Biennale back in 2010 (then in LA and NYC) the exhibition features 12 bronze sculptures over three meters tall that represent the heads of the animals in the Chinese zodiac. Like most of his work, this installation is looking at Chinese tradition in a new context, criticizing it and making it look more vulnerable than usually presented. Inspired by the water clock-fountain in the Summer Palace of Yuanming Yuan that was destroyed during the Second Opium War, the piece references consequences of modern regimes on tradition, once again shows the constant goal of his works – to stir consciences.
Discuss Ai Weiwei here.
