Beijing is the political and social heart of China, and as an artist, Ai Weiwei views the city as not only his muse but his antagonist. He is both a product of the city and a catalyst for it to change.

Born in 1957 in Beijing and the son of poet Ai Qing, Ai grew up in exile during the Cultural Revolution, only returning to Beijing following the death of Mao in 1976. He has lived in Beijing ever since, apart from his time in New York from 1981 to 1993.

Upon his return to Beijing in the 1990s, Ai encountered a city that had changed yet still faced many of the same issues. He has since used his art as a way of expressing his political concerns, and effecting social change, always with the hope of bettering the city he calls home.

Hear about the changing city of Beijing, from the Cultural Revolution to contemporary life today, and learn about the relationship between Ai Weiwei’s artistic practice and his activism from Mikala Tai and Dr John Fitzgerald.

Speakers Mikala Tai, Director, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and Dr John Fitzgerald, Director, Asia-Pacific Centre for Social Impact & Philanthropy Truby and Florence Williams Chair, Faculty of Business and Law, Swinburne University