Manifestos and immodest proposals from China's most famous artist and activist, culled from his popular blog, shut down by Chinese authorities in 2009.
In 2006, even though he could barely type, China's most famous artist started blogging. For more than three years, Ai Weiwei turned out a steady stream of scathing social commentary, criticism of government policy, thoughts on art and architecture, and autobiographical writings. He wrote about the Sichuan earthquake (and posted a list of the schoolchildren who died because of the government's “tofu-dregs engineering”), reminisced about Andy Warhol and the East Village art scene, described the irony of being investigated for “fraud” by the Ministry of Public Security, made a modest proposal for tax collection. Then, on June 1, 2009, Chinese authorities shut down the blog. This book offers a collection of Ai's notorious online writings translated into English―the most complete, public documentation of the original Chinese blog available in any language.
The New York Times called Ai “a figure of Warholian celebrity.” He is a leading figure on the international art scene, a regular in museums and biennials, but in China he is a manifold and controversial presence: artist, architect, curator, social critic, justice-seeker. He was a consultant on the design of the famous “Bird's Nest” stadium but called for an Olympic boycott; he received a Chinese Contemporary Art “lifetime achievement award” in 2008 but was beaten by the police in connection with his “citizen investigation” of earthquake casualties in 2009. Ai Weiwei's Blog documents Ai's passion, his genius, his hubris, his righteous anger, and his vision for China.

Ai Weiwei's Blog: Writings, Interviews, and Digital Rants, 2006-2009 (Writing Art)

Arts & Photography

Ai, Weiwei

History & Criticism

The MIT Press

In Ai Weiwei’s widely anticipated memoir, “one of the most important artists working in the world today” (Financial Times) tells a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own extraordinary life and the legacy of his father, the nation’s most celebrated poet. “With uncommon humanity, humbling scholarship, and poignant intimacy, Ai Weiwei recounts a life of courage, argument, defeat, and triumph. His is one of the great voices of our time.”—Andrew Solomon Hailed as “an eloquent and seemingly unsilenceable voice of freedom” by The New York Times, Ai Weiwei has written a sweeping memoir that presents a remarkable history of China over the last hundred years while also illuminating his artistic process. Once an intimate of Mao Zedong and the nation’s most celebrated poet, Ai Weiwei’s father, Ai Qing, was branded a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, and he and his family were banished to a desolate place known as “Little Siberia,” where Ai Qing was sentenced to hard labor cleaning public toilets. Ai Weiwei recounts his childhood in exile, and his difficult decision to leave his family to study art in America, where he befriended Allen Ginsberg and was inspired by Andy Warhol. With candor and wit, he details his return to China and his rise from artistic unknown to art world superstar and international human rights activist—and how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime. Ai Weiwei’s sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism has long made him a target of the Chinese authorities, which culminated in months of secret detention without charge in 2011. Here, for the first time, Ai Weiwei explores the origins of his exceptional creativity and passionate political beliefs through his life story and that of his father, whose creativity was stifled. At once ambiti

Ai Weiwei - 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir Signed Book First Edition First Printing

Bond Street Books

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: The Story of Two Lives, One Nation, and a Century of Art Under Tyranny

Anchor Canada

Product Description 
NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS’ CHOICE • In Ai Weiwei’s widely anticipated memoir, 
“one of the most important artists working in the world today” (Financial Times) 
tells a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own extraordinary life and the legacy of his father, 
the nation’s most celebrated poet.\n“With uncommon humanity, humbling scholarship, and poignant intimacy, Ai Weiwei recounts a life of courage, argument, defeat, and triumph. His is one of the great voices of our time.”—Andrew Solomon 
Hailed as “an eloquent and seemingly unsilenceable voice of freedom” by 
The 
New York Times, Ai Weiwei has written a sweeping memoir that presents a remarkable history of China over the last hundred years while also illuminating his artistic process.\nOnce an intimate of Mao Zedong and the nation’s most celebrated poet, Ai Weiwei’s father, Ai Qing, was branded a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, and he and his family were banished to a desolate place known as “Little Siberia,” where Ai Qing was sentenced to hard labor cleaning public toilets. Ai Weiwei recounts his childhood in exile, and his difficult decision to leave his family to study art in America, where he befriended Allen Ginsberg and was inspired by Andy Warhol. With candor and wit, he details his return to China and his rise from artistic unknown to art world superstar and international human rights activist—and how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.\nAi Weiwei’s sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism has long made him a target of the Chinese authorities, which culminated in months of secret detention without charge in 2011. Here, for the first time, Ai Weiwei explores the origins of his exceptional creativity and passionate political beliefs through his life story and that of his father, whose creativity was stifled.\nAt once ambitious and intimate, Ai Weiwei’s 
1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows offers a deep understanding of the myriad forces that have shaped modern China, and serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need to protect freedom of expression. 
 Review 
“[This memoir] is both intimate and expansive, an interrogation of art and freedom. . . . It’s a fascinating sociopolitical history, and a behind-the-scenes look at how one of the world’s most significant living artists became who he is.” 
—Time\n“ 
1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows can be seen as another act of defiance. . . . The book [is Ai Weiwei’s] effort to reclaim his country’s and his family’s dramatic past.” 
—The 
 Wall Street Journal Magazine\n“Illuminating . . .a document of conviction and activism . . . a clear-eyed account of two artists working against convention, buffeted by the whims of absurdist politics.”— 
San Francisco Chronicle\n“Poignant . . . An illuminating through-line emerges in the many parallels Ai traces between his life and his father’s. . . . Ai does not allow his own scraps to remain buried. To unearth them is an act of unburdening, an open letter to progeny, a suturing of past and present. It is the refusal to be a pawn—and the most potent assertion of a self.” 
—The New York Times Book Review\n“This memoir is a remarkable book—and an important one. . . . 
1000 Years is a breathtaking self-examination of a brave artist.” 
—Minneapolis 
Star Tribune\n“Ai Weiwei is one of the world’s greatest living artists. He is a master of multiple media. His work is always thought-provoking, unpredictable, and immensely personal.” 
—Elton John, author of Me 
“With uncommon humanity, humbling scholarship, and poignant intimacy, Ai Weiwei recounts a life of courage, argument, defeat, and triumph. His is one of the great voices of our time.” 
—Andrew Solomon, author of Far from the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity and Far and Away: How Travel

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir

Humor & Entertainment

Crown

The “intimate and expansive” (Time) memoir of “one of the most important artists working in the world today” (Financial Times), telling a remarkable history of China over the last hundred years while also illuminating his artistic process\n“Poignant . . . An illuminating through-line emerges in the many parallels Ai traces between his life and his father’s.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)\nONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Time, BookPage, Booklist, Kirkus Reviews\nOnce a close associate of Mao Zedong and the nation’s most celebrated poet, Ai Weiwei’s father, Ai Qing, was branded a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, and he and his family were banished to a desolate place known as “Little Siberia,” where Ai Qing was sentenced to hard labor cleaning public toilets. Ai Weiwei recounts his childhood in exile, and his difficult decision to leave his family to study art in America, where he befriended Allen Ginsberg and was inspired by Andy Warhol and the artworks of Marcel Duchamp. With candor and wit, he details his return to China and his rise from artistic unknown to art world superstar and international human rights activist—and how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime.\nAi Weiwei’s sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism has long made him a target of the Chinese authorities, which culminated in months of secret detention without charge in 2011. Here, for the first time, Ai Weiwei explores the origins of his exceptional creativity and passionate political beliefs through his life story and that of his father, whose creativity was stifled.\nAt once ambitious and intimate, Ai Weiwei’s 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows offers a deep understanding of the myriad forces that have shaped modern China, and serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need to protect freedom of expression.

"In his widely anticipated memoir, Ai Weiwei-one of the worlds most famous artists and activists-tells a century-long epic tale of China through the story of his own extraordinary life and the legacy of his father, Ai Qing, the nations most celebrated poet. Hailed as "the most important artist working today" by the Financial Times and as "an eloquent and unsilenceable voice of freedom" by The New York Times, Ai Weiwei has written a sweeping memoir that presents a remarkable history of China over the last 100 years while illuminating his artistic process. Once an intimate of Mao Zedong, Ai Weiweis father was branded a rightist during the Cultural Revolution, and he and his family were banished to a desolate place known as "Little Siberia," where Ai Qing was sentenced to hard labor cleaning public toilets. Ai Weiwei recounts his childhood in exile, and his difficult decision to leave his family to study art in America, where he befriended Allen Ginsberg and was inspired by Andy Warhol. With candor and wit, he details his return to China and his rise from artistic unknown to art world superstar and international human rights activist-and how his work has been shaped by living under a totalitarian regime. Ai Weiweis sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Birds Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism has long made him a target of the Chinese authorities, which culminated in months of secret detention without charge in 2011. Here, for the first time, Ai Weiwei explores the origins of his exceptional creativity and passionate political beliefs through his own life story and that of his father, whose own creativity was stifled. At once ambitious and intimate, 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows offers a deep understanding of the myriad forces that have shaped modern China, and serves as a timely reminder of the urgent need to protect freedom of expression"--

Ai Weiwei 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows (Crown) /anglais

RANDOM HOUSE US

In this beautifully illustrated and deeply philosophical graphic memoir, legendary artist Ai Weiwei explores the connection between artistic expression and intellectual freedom through the lens of the Chinese zodiac. Within this deluxe edition is an exclusive, limited-edition art print, signed by Ai Weiwei and stamped with gold foil. &nbsp; As a child living in exile during the Cultural Revolution, Ai Weiwei often found himself with nothing to read but government-approved comic books. Although they were restricted by the confines of political propaganda, Ai Weiwei was struck by the artists' ability to express their thoughts on art and humanity through graphic storytelling. Now, decades later, Ai Weiwei and Italian comic artist Gianluca Costantini present Zodiac, Ai Weiwei's first graphic memoir. Inspired by the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac and their associated human characteristics, Ai Weiwei masterfully interweaves ancient Chinese folklore with stories of his life, family, and career. The narrative shifts back and forth through the years--at once in the past, present, and future--mirroring memory and our relationship to time. As readers delve deeper into the beautifully illustrated pages of Zodiac, they will find not only a personal history of Ai Weiwei and an examination of the sociopolitical climate in which he makes his art, but a philosophical exploration of what it means to find oneself through art and freedom of expression. Contemplative and political, Zodiac will inspire readers to return again and again to Ai Weiwei's musings on the relationship between art, time, and our shared humanity.

Zodiac (Deluxe Edition with Signed Art Print): A Graphic Memoir

Ten Speed Graphic

Fifty-three contemporary artists worked with RxArt to create images created exclusively for distribution by RxArt. The RxArt Coloring Book is a softcover volume with 112 black and white pages designed for coloring. The cover depicts Ai Weiwei's colorful sunflower seeds from his Unilever Series, as well as a page of Weiwei's work transformed into adhesive stickers. The fourth edition of The RxArt Coloring Book was generously designed by Matt Murphy Design and underwritten by Warby Parker.

RxArt Coloring book

Warby Parker

The first comprehensive monograph on this key figure in China's burgeoning art scene. Often working with ancient materials - beams from destroyed temples, Han dynasty urns - Ai Weiwei (b.1957) creates ingenious sculptures that break new artistic ground while commenting on the rapid transformation of contemporary China. Ai Weiwei's work is consistently innovative and unmistakably original, ranging from his sculptures and photographs to his numerous architectural commissions, and recalls the work of his artistic forebears Marcel Duchamp, Joseph Beuys and Andy Warhol. A towering figure whose influence can be seen in the multiplicity of his roles: not just an artist, designer and architect, but also curator, publisher, web blogger and cultural compass for an entire generation of Beijing artists.

Ai Weiwei (Phaidon Contemporary Artists Series)

Karen Smith

Bernard Fibicher

Hans-Ulrich Obrist

Phaidon Press

Weiwei-Isms

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ai, Weiwei. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Ai, Weiwei

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Ai, Weiwei. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Ai Weiwei's Blog: Writings, Interviews, and Digital Rants, 2006-2009 (Writing Art)

Ai Weiwei - 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir Signed Book First Edition First Printing

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: The Story of Two Lives, One Nation, and a Century of Art Under Tyranny

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows: A Memoir

Ai Weiwei 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows (Crown) /anglais

Zodiac (Deluxe Edition with Signed Art Print): A Graphic Memoir

RxArt Coloring book

Ai Weiwei (Phaidon Contemporary Artists Series)

Weiwei-Isms