Mythical Creatures: China and the World

Ai Weiwei leads a diverse and prolific practice that encompasses sculptural installation, filmmaking, photography, ceramics, painting, writing and social media. A conceptual artist who fuses traditional craftsmanship and his Chinese heritage, he moves freely between a variety of formal languages to reflect on the contemporary geopolitical and sociopolitical condition. Since 2007, Ai Weiwei has been experimenting with toy bricks, which are mass produced in infinite quantities, reflecting the type of assembly made possible by the Information Age and globalization.

Ai Weiwei has exhibited extensively at institutions and biennials worldwide. He lives and works in Beijing (China), Berlin (Germany), Cambridge (UK) and Lisbon (Portugal). Ai Weiwei’s work and life regularly interact and inform one another, often extending to his activism and advocacy for international human rights.

Xu Bing was born in Chongqing, China and raised in Beijing. He studied Printmaking at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and later joined the faculty. In 1990, he relocated to the United States where he began to consider language and his fascination with word forms. He is a multi-disciplinary artist who has worked with printmaking, calligraphy, installation art, sculpture, metalworking, and landscaping. His works combine western and eastern esthetics, mythology, and contemporary expression to playfully comment on notions of communication and interaction through cultures, traditions, and artistic styles.

Xu Bing’s work has been displayed in numerous prestigious venues worldwide and he has participated in several biennales internationally. He has been the recipient of several esteemed awards throughout his illustrious career and currently divides his time between Beijing and New York, where he lives and works.