Ai, Weiwei | Artist's Hand, 2017 — available on Composition Gallery

Electroplated rhodium on cast urethane resin - Not signed or numbered

Ai Weiwei's Artist's Hand (2017) is a provocative sculpture that exemplifies the artist's confrontational and politically charged style. Cast in urethane resin and electroplated with rhodium, the piece depicts a realistic human hand making a gesture commonly associated with defiance—a raised middle finger. The reflective, metallic surface of the sculpture adds a sense of permanence and boldness, emphasizing the power and irreverence embedded in the gesture. This work continues Ai’s tradition of using his art to challenge authority and express dissent, a recurring theme in his body of work. The unnumbered edition of 1000 reinforces the accessibility of the piece, making it a statement that reaches beyond exclusivity. By transforming a simple hand gesture into a polished sculptural object, Ai Weiwei invites viewers to reflect on issues of freedom, resistance, and the role of art in social commentary.

Ai Weiwei (China, 1957) is a globally influential artist and activist blending conceptual art with political commentary. Known for provocative works like Sunflower Seeds and Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, he critiques authority, censorship, and human rights abuses. His installations, films, and public interventions challenge societal norms and inspire global dialogue.

Weiwei Ai

Artist's Hand, 2017

Name: Artist's Hand, 2017
SKU: 12440
Price: 6900.00 GBP
Availability: InStock

Form

Sculpture / Object

Sculpture / ObjectA sculpture is a three-dimension object made using any one of the basic sculpting processes. These include carving, casting, constructing or modeling. Carving materials may be bone, ivory, stone or wood. Modeling and casting use clay or wax, while constructions glue materials together.

Medium

Resin

Resin Resin can be derived from both natural sources, such as pine sap, and synthetic processes. Natural resin comes from tree sap, while synthetic resin is a type of dense, easily molded plastic. Resin is commonly used in sculpture, and it can also enhance the vibrancy of paint colors.

Edition

Edition of 1000 (unnumbered, reported)

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●Inventory 12440

●Not signed

●Comes with gallery invoice and certificate

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Electroplated rhodium on cast urethane resin - Not signed or numbered

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If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?

- Ai Weiwei

Receiving worldwide acclaim for his activism, Ai Weiwei’s work spans across several mediums as an architect, curator and filmmaker. Ai’s most recognised social commentaries pertain to the Chinese government and the loss of traditional culture; Sunflower Seeds - a piece displayed at the Tate Modern - featured the scattering of over 60 million hand-painted porcelain ‘seeds’, an allusion to the destructive nature of mass consumption and the subsequent loss of individuality. Prior to the cultural revolution that took place in China, Ai and his family had first been sent to a labour camp, then subsequently exiled for 16 years. Upon the Chinese reform, Ai moved to New York and was notably influenced by the work of Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp; he also met beat poet, Allen Ginsberg, around this time, and developed his own philosophies on the schism between Western and traditional cultures. Coca Cola Vase is another of Ai’s most acclaimed works; a Han dynasty urn that has been emblazoned with the Coca Cola logo – another nod to the ever-expanding consumerist culture. (Artist website)

Artwork by Miles Aldridge

What is contemporary art?

Contemporary art refers to avant-garde or innovative art created in the recent past or present day. The exact starting point of contemporary art varies depending on the institution, often tied to the founding year of museums or galleries that showcase the style. Contemporary art is characterized by its focus on current ideas, diverse media, and the exploration of new concepts and techniques.

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Weiwei Ai

Artist's Hand, 2017

Form

Medium

Size

Edition

Price

Artworks

Sold

Biography

Bio

Hanging Man in Porcelain, 2009

Year of the Ox, 2021

The Odyssey, 2017

Freud Banner, 2018

Vase (Blue), 2024

Vase (Green), 2024

Vase (Mustard), 2024

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Vases in Black and White (Set of 2), 2024

Vases in Five Colours (Set of 5), 2024

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Study of Perspective in Glass (set of 6), 2020

Human Flow, 2023

Free Speech, 2023

BOMB, 2020

Cats (black), 2022

Cats (Pink), 2022

Pequi Tree, 2021

Turquoise, 2015

Middle Finger, 2023

Cedar Tree, 2023

History of Bombs, 2020

Cats, red, 2022

3D Printing of My Left Hand, 2022

Glass Vase, 2023

Artist's Hand, 2017

River Crabs (from Papercut Portfolio), 2019

The Papercut Portfolio, 2019

The artist activist - Art edition

Middle Finge(...), 2023

Cedar (Large(...), 2022

Zodiac (from(...), 2019

Year of the (...), 2021

Cats and Dog(...), 2020

Haircut (fro(...), 2019

Furniture (f(...), 2019

Map of China(...), 2019

The Thin Lin(...), 2017

Namelist, 2014

Shanghai Stu(...), 2011

Colored Vase(...), 2007

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