Flowers

Name: AI WEIWEI (B. 1957)
Brand: Flowers
Price: 30000.00 GBP
Availability: SoldOut

Price Realised GBP 37,500

Estimate

GBP 40,000 - GBP 60,000

Loading details

Try our

Cost calculator

AI WEIWEI (B. 1957)

Flowers

Price Realised GBP 37,500

Details Lot Essay More from

AI WEIWEI (B. 1957)
Flowers
signed and dated 'Wei '08' (on the reverse)
porcelain
78¹⁄₂ x 39³⁄₄ x 2in. (199.5 x 101 x 5cm.)
Executed in 2008

Galerie Urs Meile, Lucerne.
Acquired from the above by the present owner.

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
Please note this lot is the property of a consumer. See H1 of the Conditions of Sale.

Conditions of Sale
FAQs
This lot is offered by Christie Manson & Woods Ltd

Brought to you by

Isabel BardawilSpecialist, Co-head of Day Sale

A Christie's specialist may contact you to discuss this lot or to notify you if the condition changes prior to the sale.

IBardawil@christies.com +44 (0)20 7389 2866

Lot Essay

Garlands of delicate pastel flowers festoon Ai Weiwei’s 2008. Blossoms of pale pink, lavender, and coral bloom from lithe stems, each dotted with spritely green leaves. Formally, draws from traditional Chinese arts, in which porcelain has held a long and prominent role. Since the Song dynasty, (960-1279) flowers have been amongst the most popular decorative themes and each bloom had its own symbolic meaning, representing, among other things, honour, longevity, and marital bliss. Known for his politically charged art, Ai’s work often challenges the status quo. While may employ a national iconography, the work also references China’s Hundred Flowers Campaign, a brief period during which the Chinese Communist Party allowed for free expression that was almost immediately followed by a brutal crackdown against those who voices critical opinions. It is with elegant simplicity that Ai offers the viewer a multifaceted commentary on Chinese history.