Retrospective of Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei opens in Brussels in September

**Brussels to Host First Major Ai Weiwei Retrospective in Belgium**

*Brussels, Belgium –* The Patrick Derom Gallery announced that it will present the first major retrospective of Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei in Belgium. The exhibition, titled **“Ai Weiwei: The Art of Defiance,”** will run from 19 September to 14 November 2024 at two venues in the Sablon district, Rue aux Laines 1.

The show will feature more than 50 works created over a span of three decades, encompassing the artist’s multidisciplinary practice that includes sculpture, film, installation, photography, and architecture. According to a statement from the gallery, the exhibition “offers a broad survey of a body of work in which art, political engagement, cultural memory and freedom of expression are inextricably linked.”

Highlights include:

* **“Study of Perspective”** (1995–2011) – a photographic series that references the 1995 Tiananmen Square protests.
* **“Han Dynasty Urn with Coca‑Cola Logo”** (1994) – an iconic piece that juxtaposes a Western Han dynasty urn with a contemporary commercial logo.
* LEGO‑based compositions such as **“Illumination.”**
* Works incorporating buttons, including the piece titled **“F.U.C.K.”**
* Sculptural works **“Grapes”** and **“Strength.”**
* The large‑scale installation **“Left Right Studio Material and Snake Ceiling,”** illustrating the evolution of Ai Weiwei’s visual language.

In addition to the retrospective, the Musée Émile Verhaeren will host a related exhibition exploring the historical connection between Belgian poet Émile Verhaeren and Chinese poet‑activist Ai Qing, the father of Ai Weiwei.

The retrospective is organized by the Patrick Derom Gallery, which has collaborated with Ai Weiwei’s studio to secure the works on display. The exhibition is expected to attract both art enthusiasts and those interested in contemporary political and social issues.

Article source: leuropeennedebruxelles.com | Image credit: The Bulletin