Contemporary Artist Ai Weiwei Show at MuCEM in Marseille

Ai Weiwei and Marseille

This is a highly political show—and highly personal, too. Much is about the artist’s relationship with his father (Ai Qing), whose ship from Shanghai in 1929 docked right next to where MuCEM is today. Indeed, it was France that inspired him to become a poet, a dangerous occupation back in China, where he was later forced into internal exile for 20 years. This underlies the political theme of his son’s exhibition, that of the refugee.

Ai Weiwei exhibition that runs until November 12, 2018, at MuCEM in Marseille.

“A refugee could be anybody.  It could be you or me. The refugee is a crisis, a human crisis”, Ai Weiwei.

Alternatively, visit the Ai Weiwei installation at Chateau La Coste, called the Ruyi Path. The shape of a Chinese ceremonial sceptre inspired the path. Its meandering form winds through the trees, joining two ancient walking trails with stones found in the port of Marseille. In this piece, he has joined the mountains to the sea.