00:18

square yellow and white print on a mirrored substrate

Ai Weiwei

Human Flow

€1,250

Edition of 100

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Human Flow belongs to a trio of artworks by Ai Weiwei which combine innovative printing methods with pillars of freedom upheld throughout his practice.

Figures in motion, laden with bags, move in an endless circle at the centre of the print. Razor wire surrounds them. CCTV cameras look on ominously. Ai reflects on the importance of a person’s liberty to move, and the forms of persecution that may lead them to do so. Opaque layers of white and yellow ink are applied to a mirrored aluminium substrate – subsuming onlooker and artwork in the reflective surface.

“If there is one refugee, we are all refugees. It's not that you're potentially a refugee, or potentially involved. We are involved. We are refugees. This idea is not easy to establish, so I tried to make it beautiful. You can see the image, but you can also see yourself in the reflection.”

Go behind the scenes at Make-Ready in London as Ai reflects on the profundities of printmaking, and its lineage within his practice.

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06:12

Behind the scenes

Ai Weiwei

18 collaborations

Ai Weiwei is unafraid to speak truth to power. He’s one of the most famous living artists today – a testament to the breadth and vision of his practice. Effortlessly, he moves between different media, from sculpture and architecture to performance and documentary film. His work is often monumental in scale and is driven by a hunger for truth and justice. In 2008, for example, Ai spent many months collecting the names of over 5000 children who lost their lives in the Sichuan earthquake. This unflinching dedication to human rights saw him detained by the Chinese government for 81 days in 2011, accused of ‘subverting the state.’

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Reviews from Avant collectors

It's awesome! The artwork quality is superb! I really really loved everything you did - the gloves, the totem bag, the letter... amazing! Thanks so much!
Review of Guardian
i have been very pleased with my wonderful art work! communication and packaging was suberb. highly recommend
Review of Guardian
It's my 1st art piece and I love it! I wish I got it framed.
Review of Guardian
The packaging is always good but this was superb. And the piece exceeded all expectations.
Review of Ugly Bastard
Thanks again for great collaboration and looking forward to new projects and pieces for my collection.
Review of Descendent - Lucid Dreamer
Avant arte staffs are lovely. They always kindly help when I have problem or question.
Review of City Fountain
I loved the purchasing experience, and the artwork I ended up with. I would definitely come back for future art purchases :)
Review of Actual Size
its a wonderful piece ! very happy
Review of Guardian

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