Ai Weiwei was born in northwest China but was sent to a labor camp in Beidahuang, Heilongjiang, when he was only a year old. There he was raised for the early years of his life. His father Aì Qīng’s involvement in the Anti-Rightist Movement led to the family's exile shortly afterward to Shihezi, Xinjiang, where Ai spent the duration of his childhood. Upon Mao Zedong’s death, the family returned to Beijing in 1976.
Following the family’s return home, Ai enrolled in the Beijing Film Academy to study animation in 1978. He was one of the founders of the avant-garde art group the Stars alongside contemporaries Ma Desheng, Wang Keping, Mao Lizi, Huang Rui, Li Shuang, Ah Cheng and Qu Leilei. The Stars disbanded in the 1980s, but Ai participated in regular shows that recalled the ten years that the group had been together, including at the Hanart Gallery in 1989 and the retrospective 2007 exhibition at Beijing's Origin Point.
Ai moved to the USA in 1981, among the earliest of students to study abroad following China’s reform in 1980, which afforded him the opportunity to take the TOEFL in 1981. He lived in Philadelphia and then in San Francisco, studying English at the University of California, Berkeley. Afteward, Ai studied at Parsons School of Design in New York City and attended the Art Students League of New York from 1983 to 1986. He initially made a living by drawing street portraits.
Immersing himself in the Pop art scene, which was rapidly gaining popularity, Ai began creating conceptual art and photography. Ai returned to China after his father became ill in 1993, and while there he helped to establish the experimental art scene called Beijing East Village. In 1999, Ai built a studio house in Beijing — his first architectural project. Ai founded the architecture studio FAKE Design in 2003, and co-curated the art exhibition "Fuck Off" with Feng Boyi in Shanghai.
In 2011, Ai was arrested and jailed. Released after 81 days, the government confiscated his passport. His release was in part due to the uproar of the art world against his charges of tax evasion; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation and the International Council of Museums both organized petitions, collecting almost 100,000 signatures calling for his release. When he reclaimed his passport in 2015, Ai moved to Berlin and lived in a studio. It became a base for him to create his international work.
Ai is the artistic director of China Art Archives & Warehouse. The experimental gallery and archive, co-founded by Ai in 1997, concentrates on experimental art from the People’s Republic of China, initiating and facilitating exhibitions both in China and internationally.
Ai's work is in the collections of museums worldwide, including the Tate, London; Arken, London; Brooklyn Museum, New York; and the RA, London. His international architectural collaborations, including the Beijing National Stadium and the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, have consistently been met with critical acclaim.
Find a variety of authentic Ai Weiwei prints, paintings and other art today on 1stDibs.
Ai Weiwei - Have You Seen Ai Weiwei's Cats? poster (Hand Signed by Ai Weiwei)
By Ai Weiwei
Located in New York, NY
Offset lithograph poster Boldly signed in red marker by Ai Weiwei, and bearing the Kettle's Yard gallery logo (unnumbered, from a limited edition of fewer than 50 hand signed) The "H...
Offset
Cats (Black), Ai Weiwei Screen Print, Framed, Edition of 150, 2022
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Screen print on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper Hand-signed, dated, and numbered by the artist 28 × 32.8 cm Edition of 150 Framed The print was editioned by master printer, Kip Gres...
Screen
$2,800
Ai Weiwei - Cedar - Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique 280gsm paper Signed/N
By Ai Weiwei
Located in New York, NY
Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique 280gsm paper Pencil signed and numbered 112/150 Printed at The Print Studio, Cambridge This work has been elegantly framed in a wood frame unde...
Screen
Ai Weiwei – Odyssey (Offset Lithograph, 2017)
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Draper, UT
Ai Weiwei – Odyssey (Offset Lithograph, 2017) In 2017, amidst mounting global anxieties about migration and national divides, Ai Weiwei launched Good Fences Make Good Neighbors, a s...
Paper
Middle Finger in Red
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Ai Weiwei Title: Middle Finger in Red Year: 2023 Medium: 2 colour silkscreen print on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Satin White paper Edition: 1285; signed in pencil Sheet: 23 3/...
Screen
$2,500
Ai Weiwei - Cats (Red), original silkscreen, hand signed 116/150, Chinese Framed
By Ai Weiwei
Located in New York, NY
Ai Weiwei Cats (Red), 2022 Screen print on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper Hand signed, dated, and numbered 87/150 by Ai Weiwei on the front 13 1/2 × 17 inches Unframed This print wa...
Pencil, Screen
Cats (Red), Ai Weiwei Screen Print, Framed, Edition of 150, 2022
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Screen print on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper Hand-signed, dated, and numbered by the artist 28 × 32.8 cm Edition of 150 Framed The print was editioned by master printer, Kip Gres...
Screen
Middle Finger in Red
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Artist: Ai Weiwei Title: Middle Finger in Red Year: 2023 Medium: 2 colour silkscreen print on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Satin White paper Edition: 1285; signed in pencil Sheet: ...
Screen
$10,000
Ai Weiwei -Throwing Stones at a Dictatorship Skateboard Skate Deck w/ SIGNED COA
By Ai Weiwei
Located in New York, NY
“I think there is a responsibility for any artist to protect freedom of expression.” – Ai Weiwei “Without freedom of speech there is no modern world, just a barbaric one."― Ai Weiwei...
Screen, Wood
$1,598Sale Price|20% Off
Guardian, 2024 by Ai Weiwei, Silkscreen, Chinese, Symbolism, Contemporary Art
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Zug, CH
Ai Weiwei Guardian 2024 2 colour silkscreen with a metallic glitter base layer, printed on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Radiant White paper 59.94 × 59.94 cm (23.6 × 23.6 in) Signed and ...
Glitter, Paper
Year of the Ox Screen Print, Hand Signed, Printer's Proof, 48x48
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Aventura, FL
22-color Screen print on paper. Hand signed lower front by Ai Weiwei. Hand numbered 'Printer's Proof 4' on verso (there is also a main edition of 58). Artwork size: 39.81 x 39.87 ...
Screen, Paper
Guardian, Silkscreen print, Hand-Signed Edition, 60x60 cm, 2024
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Guardian, 2024 2 colour silkscreen with a metallic glitter base layer, printed on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Radiant White paper 60 x 60 cm edition of 1601 hand-signed and numbered by...
Glitter, Screen
Cats (Pink)
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Screen print on Saunders Waterford 300gsm paper Hand-signed, dated, and numbered by the artist 45 x 62 cm Edition of 300 + 3 PP The print was editioned by master printer, Kip Gresham at The Print Studio, Cambridge for Kettle's Yard. It was made using an original drawing ‘cut’ into an acrylic sheet. The image is then reversed when printed. Description from the publisher: "Drawing has been fundamental to Ai Weiwei’s artistic practice from an early age. He also has a longstanding love of cats, and they appear frequently in the artist’s social media posts. Many cats used to roam his studio in Beijing. As part of the Kettle’s Yard exhibition, Ai’s ‘Cats wallpaper...
Screen
Ai Weiwei, Zodiac - Signed Print and Limited Edition Book
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Hamburg, DE
Ai Weiwei (Chinese, b. 1957) Zodiac, 2024 Medium: Digital print, gold foil stamped, on paper (incl. artist's book and slipcase) Dimensions: 6 × 8 1/2 in 15.2 × 21.6 cm Edition of 10...
Digital
First Edition 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows Signed Copy by Ai weiwei
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Draper, UT
n his 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 o...
Archival Paper
Ai Weiwei, Cats (Black) - Signed Print, Contemporary Art, Chinese Activist
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Hamburg, DE
Ai Weiwei (Chinese, b. 1957) Cats (Black), 2022 Medium: Screenprint on paper Sheet dimensions: 28 x 32.8 cm Frame dimensions: 36.1 x 41.2 cm Edition of 150: Hand-signed, numbered and...
Screen
River Crabs (from Papercut Portfolio)
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Ai Weiwei Title: River Crabs (from Papercut Portfolio) Year: 2019 Medium: Papercut on large format, colored fine art paper Edition: 250; sig...
Lithograph
Ai Weiwei, Cats (Silver) - Signed Print
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Hamburg, DE
Ai Weiwei (Chinese, b. 1957) Cats (Silver), 2024 Medium: Silver foil block on wove paper Dimensions: 27.2 x 32.8 cm (10 7/10 × 12 9/10 in) Edition of 200: Hand-signed, numbered and d...
Foil
Ai Weiwei, History of Bombs - Limited Edition Print, Contemporary Pop Art
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Hamburg, DE
Ai Weiwei (Chinese, b. 1957) History of Bombs, 2020 Medium: Digital print on 170gsm arco paper Dimensions: 19.7 x 27.6 in (50 x 70 cm) Edition of 1000: Printed signature on accompany...
Digital
Ai Weiwei, Bomb - Fine Art Inkjet Print, Hand-Signed
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Hamburg, DE
Ai Weiwei (Chinese, b. 1957) Bomb, 2020 Medium: Fine art inkjet print, Hahnemüle German etching 310g paper Dimensions: 95 x 130 cm (37 2/5 x 51 1/5 in) Edition of 100 + 25 AP: Hand-s...
Paper, Inkjet
$200
H 24 in W 24 in
Solarium, Serigraph on Paper, Hand Signed, HC Edition of 3, 24x24 inches
By Susan Sahall
Located in Aventura, FL
Serigraph on paper. Hand signed, titled and numbered by the artist. From the HC edition of 3. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of Authenticity included. All reasona...
Paper, Screen
$425
H 4 in W 6 in
Keith Haring 1985 announcement (Keith Haring at Tony Shafarzi Leo Castelli)
By (after) Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring at Tony Shafrazi/Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, 1985: Rare original 1980s announcement for two Keith Haring exhibitions: Keith Haring at Tony Shafrazi Gallery, October 26...
Offset, Lithograph
$1,100
H 9.75 in W 7.5 in D 0.75 in
Two Columns (framed): colorful pop art abstracted Greek pillars Micheal Hurson
By Michael Hurson
Located in New York, NY
Pop art scene of abstracted Greek pillars and green leaves. Drawings in black and white, pale blue, red and grey compose this colorful print. Layers of p...
Lithograph, Screen
CB HOYO YES YOU COULD HAVE MADE THIS BUT YOU DIDN'T... Street Art
By CB Hoyo
Located in Draper, UT
Medium: Print Condition Print in good condition and has been stored flat since purchase. Signature Hand-signed by artist, Hand Signed and Numbered by the Artist in Pencil, CB HOYO. ...
Carbon Pencil, Screen
$1,463
H 30 in W 37 in D 1 in
El Pensador (The Thinker), Hand Signed Lithograph, Contemporary, 1970s, 62/75
By Rafael Canogar
Located in Aventura, FL
Color lithograph with photolithography. Hand signed lower right by Rafael Canogar. Hand numbered 62/75 lower left corner. Artwork size 22 x 29 inches. Frame size 30 x 37 inches. ...
Paper, Lithograph
Keith Haring Luna Luna 1986
By Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring Luna Luna Karussell. A Poetic Extravaganza!, 1986 (Keith haring Luna Luna): Luna Luna "was organized by Andre Heller for “A Fair with Mod...
Offset, Paper
$550
H 7 in W 7 in
Rare 1980s Keith Haring Record Art (Keith Haring David Bowie)
By Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring record art 1983 & 1988: A set of 2 rare 1980s Japanese vinyl records featuring original artwork by Keith Haring: David BOWIE "Without You" & Hiroshima All Stars. Truly vibrant colors that make for stand-out wall art and unique vintage Keith Haring collectibles. *1st Pressings 1983 & 1988 (not re-issues). Medium: Off-Set Lithograph on vinyl record covers. Dimensions: 7 x 7 inches. Printed signatures on lower right & left dated - 1983 & 1988 respectively. Light signs of handling; otherwise good to very overall vintage condition. Includes the original records (very good condition). Literature/References: Taschen: Art Record Covers. _ Keith Haring Album Art: a brief history: Whether collaborating with Grace Jones, Andy Warhol, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, regularly frequenting clubs like Paradise Garage alongside close friend Larry Levan, or sketching DJ robots, New York artist and activist Keith Haring’s work was deeply entwined with the music world lending his vision to sounds by everyone from David Bowie to Run DMC. Looking for something cool to complement this work? Please feel free to browse additional items like this from Jean Michel Basquiat, Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Keith Haring & more on our 1stDibs gallery page. Related Categories Keith Haring prints. Keith Haring figurative. East Village art...
Offset
Wine
By David Shrigley
Located in Manchester, GB
David Shrigley, Wine, 2021 Hand-signed and dated on the reverse Edition 29 of 125 75 x 56 cm Screenprint in colours Private Collection UK
Screen
$494
H 15.75 in W 14.97 in D 0.04 in
The Kiss - Gustav Klimt's Dog, original, contemporary, art print
By Mychael Barratt
Located in Deddington, GB
Screenprint and gold leaf on paper. Signed and titled in pencil. Numbered from the edition of 100. Image size: 220 x 220mm Paper size: 380 x 400mm Gold Leaf on Paper Edition of...
Gold Leaf
$275
H 16 in W 25 in
Coursing 3, Art Nouveau Offset Lithograph after Louis Icart
By Louis Icart
Located in Long Island City, NY
Louis Icart, After, French (1888 - 1950) - Coursing 3, Medium: Offset Lithograph on paper, signed in plate, Image Size: 14.5 x 23.75 inches, Size: 16 x 25 in. (40.64 x 63.5 cm), D...
Lithograph, Offset
$640Sale Price|20% Off
H 33 in W 20 in
Keith Haring Kutztown Connection 1984 (Keith Haring prints posters)
By Keith Haring
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Keith Haring ‘Kutztown Connection’ 1984: This rare vintage 1980s Keith Haring poster was illustrated by Haring in conjunction with the Benefit Performances for the New Arts Program o...
Lithograph, Offset
Live Each Day As If It Were Your First
By David Shrigley
Located in Manchester, GB
David Shrigley, I Can Sing For You, 2022 Hand-signed and dated on the reverse Edition 76 of 125 75 x 56 cm Screenprint in colours Private Collection UK
Screen
Guardian
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Guardian, 2024 60 x 60 cm edition of 1601 hand-signed and numbered by the artist Understanding the print... see image 4. 01 · Sunflower seeds Used in ceramic form by Weiwei for his ...
Screen, Glitter
Ai Weiwei - Cedar - Printer's Proof - tree
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Cedar, 2022 Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique 280gsm hand-signed and numbered 52.6 x 44.2 cm - Framed 48 x 38 cm - sheet Printer's Proof - Edition 1 of 3 To commemorate Ai Weiw...
Screen
Sold
H 18.71 in W 14.97 in
AI WEIWEI CEDAR (SMALL) Chinese Contemporary Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei - CEDAR (SMALL) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 150 Size: 47.5 x 38 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and ne...
Paper, Screen
Sold
H 9.88 in W 9.88 in D 0.02 in
Ai WeiWei 'Year of the Dragon (2024)' Lithograph Print
By Ai Weiwei
Located in San Rafael, CA
Ai Weiwei (b. 1957) Year of the Dragon (2024) From the series Dragon II Lithograph on Madrid Litho White 140gsm paper Edition 147/1500 Signed in plate Published and printed by #circa...
Lithograph
Middle Finger in Red
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Calabasas, CA
Artist: Ai Weiwei Title: Middle Finger in Red Year: 2023 Medium: 2 colour silkscreen print on 410gsm Somerset Tub Sized Satin White paper Edition: 1285; signed in pencil Sheet: 23 3/...
Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen
Cedar (small)
By Ai Weiwei
Located in London, GB
Cedar (small), 2022 Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique 280gsm hand-signed and numbered 47.5 x 38 cm Edition 64 of 150 To commemorate Ai Weiwei’s gift of a tree sculpture, Cedar, 2022, to Downing...
Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen
Sold
H 27.76 in W 21.86 in
AI WEIWEI - CEDAR (LARGE) Chinese Modern Activism Tree Tradition Ink White
By Ai Weiwei
Located in Madrid, Madrid
Ai Weiwei CEDAR (LARGE) Date of creation: 2022 Medium: Screenprint on Somerset Velvet Antique paper Edition: 50 Size: 70.5 x 55.5 cm Condition: In mint conditions, brand new and nev...
Paper, Screen