An Arts Society Sarum Lecture
- non-members pay a donation
- 11 Mar 26
- Salisbury Methodist Church, St Edmund's Church Street, Salisbury
- 10:50 - 12.00
A lecture by Frank Woodgate - "Everything is art. Everything is politics" Ai Weiwei
This lecture will examine the provocative and often beautiful work of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in the context of dissident art in China, Europe and South America, and examine some of his sources of inspiration, including the Russian Constructivist, Vladimir Tatlin, and the leading Dada artist, Marcel Duchamp.
Ai Weiwei collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron in designing the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics, but the following year was arrested and beaten by police, necessitating emergency brain surgery.
While his Sunflower Seeds installation was still on display in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall in 2011, he was arrested again and detained in prison for 81 days, during which he was subjected to mental torture. Part of the problem of course was the provocative nature of his work. While producing beautiful objects such as Descending Light (2007 - above right), he was also involved in performances, often photographed, which criticised various elements of the Chinese state.
Between 1995 and 2022, he produced an extensive series of photographs and digital prints, each of which was called Study in Perspective, in which he made an offensive gesture in front of famous locations. Those relating to the White House and the Eiffel Tower caused no problem in China of course, but that in Tiananmen Square (on the fifth anniversary of the notorious demonstration, when hundreds of people were killed) was clearly highly contentious.
Frank Woodgate
Frank is a lecturer and Guide at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, for the Art Fund, the National Trust, U3A and other organisations, including on Zoom. Lectured for Dulwich Picture Gallery, Pallant House Gallery, Chichester and on cruises on behalf of Tate. Previously script-writer for The Living Paintings Trust (art for the visually-impaired).
Doors open at 10.00 am for coffee and conversation.