Ai Weiwei in New York. Photographs 1983-1993

The Martin-Gropius-Bau is showing the first exhibition in Germany of more than 220 photographs by the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei from the time when he was living in New York City, from 1983 to 1993. The artist himself curated the exhibition.

Ai made more than 10,000 photos during the time he spent in New York. For young Ai, born in 1957, his long stay in the USA left its mark on the style that has marked his entire artistic career. Ai only returned to China when his father, the renowned Chinese writer Ai Qing -every schoolchild learns his poems by heart-lay dying.

Today Ai Weiwei is the most famous contemporary Chinese artist. In New York he was friends with Allen Ginsberg. At the time many of the currently famous Chinese artists visited Ai in New York, where he photographed them. He became acquainted with the work of Joseph Beuys, the influence of whose concept of Social Sculpture, can be felt in Ai's current works. Ai Weiwei's photographs also document the history and the special liberal atmosphere of 1980's New York as seen from his perspective.

Ai has selected the photographs himself. As a whole they form a kind of installation that also traces the personal experiences, thoughts and impressions of the artist.

Date: until March 18.
Location: Martin-Gropius-Bau. Niederkirchnerstraße 7. Corner Stresemannstr. 110. 10963 Berlin. Germany.
Opening hours: from Wednesday to Monday from 10am to 8pm.