Ai Weiwei Embraces Amsterdam Light Festival


30th May 2017

(Netherlands) – World-renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei makes light object that connects all artworks.

World-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei will make a special debut at the upcoming Amsterdam Light Festival with a light object that connects all the artworks with each other.

This artwork, titled Red Line, is the linking thread that connects the Water Colours boat route. With the artwork, Ai Weiwei hopes to confront visitors with metaphorical and literal boundaries. Land borders, language barriers, but also personal boundaries and limitations of possibilities. At 7.5 kilometres, the artwork is the longest object that has ever been presented during the festival.

According to curator Lennart Booij, this is the first time that there is one artwork that functions as the connecting thread of the festival. With his object Ai Weiwei depicts the festival theme of the Water Colours boat route for 2017 – Existential. Red Line does not let go of the visitors during the boat route; it is an illuminating border as connection.

“With Existential we want to positively stimulate visitors to think about what unites people and what role light plays in this,” Booij explained. Because Ai has created an object that connects all other artworks with each other, Amsterdam Light Festival has assigned him with the special status of art ambassador.

www.amsterdamlightfestival.com

Photo courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio.