What Has Ai Weiwei Done in 2013?

The dissident artist Ai Weiwei refuses to let his inability to leave China to stop him from making an international impact.

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If you haven't heard of who Ai Weiwei is yet, you're doing something wrong. But don't worry; we've got your back. Ai Weiwei is a contemporary Chinese artist and dissident. All of Weiwei's work makes political statements about China and it's government. Which gets very complicated when your country doesn't believe in freedom of speech or expression.

In 2012, you could say Weiwei got a lot more 'main stream'. Weiwei made a parody of the extremely popular "Gangnam Style" by PSY wearing handcuffs to make a commentary (check out his parody here). The Chinese government wasn't too fond of Weiwei's Gangnam Style and removed it from the Internet. To show support of him sculptor Anish Kapoor gathered numerous artists and remade the video and called it "Gangnam for Freedom"  to support Weiwei (watch this version here). This collaboration of the art world was very popular. 

Weiwei doesn't let up against the Chinese government, and he has so much international support feuling his ambition. He continually pushes the limits in everyway to educate his people and the world about what's actually happening in China. He's even been arrested for his constant advocacy. Have you ever met one of those people who can do everything well? Ai Weiwei is one of those people in a nutshell. Not only is he an extremely powerful and promiment artist, he knows how to cut hair, make heavy metal music, and dance. Weiwei truly doesn't let anything get in the way of being a strong international presence and having art exhibits all over the world, and considering he's stuck in China that's a really big deal. If his containment in China leaves you asking What Has Ai Weiwei Done in 2013? then read on and learn about the art world's biggest political advocate.

RELATED: The Most Important Artists of 2013 (So Far)
RELATED: 10 Brilliant Quotes From Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

 

He Shared "Stacked" Installation of 760 Bicycles at Galleria Continua

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He Collaborated with Eric So on a Sculpture Series

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A Play About Ai Weiwei's Is Announced, Too Soon?

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He Was Photographed for AnOther Magazine by Jamie Hawkesworth

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He Announced That He'd Be Designing an Album Cover for Secret 7"

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He Announced That He'd Be Building a 1,000-Tent Installation for the Emscherkunst Triennial Art Festival

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He Was Filmed Giving Someone a Haircut

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His Film of a Fight in Beijing Went Viral

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He Shared His "Baby Formula 2013" Installation at the Sheung Wan Civic Centre in Hong Kong

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He Released His First Song, the Heavy Metal "Dumbass"

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He Shared His S.A.C.R.E.D. Installation

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He Shared New Works for the Venice Biennale 2013

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He Illustrated TIME Magazine's China-Themed Issue

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His Sculpture Series "Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads" Comes to the Art Gallery of Ontario

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He Released the "Laoma Tihua" Music Video

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He Released His Heavy Metal Album Titled The Divine Comedy

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