Aj Wej-wej Knihy

Kniha nejslavnějšího čínského umělce současnosti daleko přesahuje běžný memoár. Vyprávění začíná dlouho předtím, než Aj Wej-Wej přišel na svět. Příběhy Ajova otce, Mao Ce-Tungova blízkého spolupracovníka a ceněného lyrického básníka Aj Čchinga a samotného Wej-Weje se odehrává na širokém plátně čínské historie poslední stovky let, v kulisách dějinných otřesů a vzájemně se zrcadlí. Stejně jako otec odchází v mládí za uměleckou inspirací do Paříže, volí syn ve svých čtyřiadvaceti letech únik před čínskou realitou do Spojených státu, setkává se s Allenem Ginsbergem a objevuje Andyho Warhola. Podobně jako Aj Čching sdílel za Kulturní revoluce ve vyhnanství pohnutý osud levicové avantgardy, Aj Wej-Wej se v důsledku společenské angažovanosti od roku 2008 rovněž konfrontuje s režimem. Autor líčí rovněž čínskou uměleckou scénu na přelomu milénia a poměry v Číně po potlačení demokratického hnutí i vlastní snahu o svobodné umělecké vyjádření. Zároveň čtenáře provází po vlastním díle zahrnující plastiky, fotografie, film i elektronická díla.

A FAMILY STORY AND THE TALE OF A NATION. Ai Weiwei - one of the world's most famous artists and activists - weaves a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own life and that of his father, Ai Qing, the nation's most celebrated poet. 'Engrossing...a remarkable story' Sunday Times Here, through the sweeping lens of his own and his father's life, Ai Weiwei tells an epic tale of China over the last 100 years, from the Cultural Revolution to the modern-day Chinese Communist Party. Here is the story of a childhood spent in desolate exile after his father, Ai Qing, once China's most celebrated poet, fell foul of the authorities. Here is his move to America as a young man and his return to China, his rise from unknown to art-world superstar and international rights activist. Here is his extraordinary account of how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime. It's the story of a father and a son, of exceptional creativity and passionate belief, and of how two indomitable spirits enabled the world to understand their country. 'A story of inherited resilience and self-determination' Observer 'A majestic and exquisitely serious masterpiece about his China... One of the great voices of our time' Andrew Solomon 'Intimate, unflinching...an instant classic' Evan Osnos, author of Age of Ambition

A powerful portrait of the greatest humanitarian emergency of our time, from the director of Human Flow In the course of making Human Flow, his epic feature documentary about the global refugee crisis, the artist Ai Weiwei and his collaborators interviewed more than 600 refugees and aid workers in twenty-three countries around the world. A handful of those interviews were included in the film. This book presents one hundred of these conversations in their entirety, providing compelling first-person stories of the lives of refugees. Speaking in their own words, refugees give voice to their experiences of migrating across borders, living in refugee camps for months or years, and struggling to rebuild their lives in unfamiliar and uncertain surroundings. They talk about the dire circumstances that drove them to migrate, whether war, famine, or persecution; the hardships they face; and their hopes and fears for the future. In the words of Atiq, an Afghan in his early twenties staying at a refugee camp in Greece, "Nobody in the world wants to leave his country. But there's no way for people to live in that place." Complete with photographs taken by Ai Weiwei while filming Human Flow, this book provides a powerful and moving account of the most urgent humanitarian crisis of our time.

The memoir offers a profound exploration of China's history over the past century, intertwined with insights into the author's artistic journey. It presents a unique perspective on significant cultural and social changes, reflecting on the impact of these events on the author's work. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, the narrative reveals the interplay between art and history, emphasizing the importance of the author's contributions to contemporary art.

Praise for Ai Weiwei's Weiwei-isms: Here is a man who understands how to get messages to people. His expertise in artful dissemination is the 21st-century equivalent of Andy Warhol's brilliant populism.... [E]pigrammatic, pungent, uncompromising.--Peter Aspden, Financial

First published in Taiwan in 1995, The Membranes is a classic of queer speculative fiction in Chinese. Chi Ta-wei weaves dystopian tropes-heirloom animals, radiation-proof combat drones, sinister surveillance technologies- into a sensitive portrait of one young woman's quest for self-understanding.