The Odyssey (2017) by Ai Weiwei is an offset print measuring 91.5 × 61 cm, produced in an edition of 1000 and signed by the artist. This powerful work forms part of Ai’s ongoing exploration of migration, exile, and human rights. Inspired by classical friezes, the composition unfolds in narrative bands, depicting scenes of war, destruction, displacement, perilous sea crossings, and border restrictions. Combining ancient visual traditions with contemporary crises, Ai confronts viewers with the enduring struggles of refugees and the global politics of borders. By translating modern tragedies into a timeless format, the work underscores the universality and urgency of forced migration.
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.
Offset PrintOffset lithography is a printing technique where the inked image is first transferred (offset) from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. This method combines the lithographic process, which relies on the repulsion of water and oil, to keep non-printing areas ink-free by attracting a water-based film. Offset lithography was originally developed to reduce costs in reproducing artwork and is widely used for high-volume printing due to its efficiency and ability to produce sharp, consistent images.
The Odyssey (2017) by Ai Weiwei is an offset print measuring 91.5 × 61 cm, produced in an edition of 1000 and signed by the artist. This powerful work forms part of Ai’s ongoing exploration of migration, exile, and human rights. Inspired by classical friezes, the composition unfolds in narrative bands, depicting scenes of war, destruction, displacement, perilous sea crossings, and border restrictions. Combining ancient visual traditions with contemporary crises, Ai confronts viewers with the enduring struggles of refugees and the global politics of borders. By translating modern tragedies into a timeless format, the work underscores the universality and urgency of forced migration.
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.
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)
Chinese Contemporary Art is marked by a wide range of styles and experimental approaches. In the 1980s, avant-garde exhibitions were often shut down by government officials. The 1990s saw the rise of political pop and cynical realism, while China's One-Child Policy influenced artists to explore the individual as a subject matter.