CHINESE ARTIST/ PROVOCATEUR AI WEIWEI BRINGS ZODIAC HEADS EXHIBITION TO THE CROW COLLECTION OF ASIAN ART THIS FALL
GILDED BRONZE SCULPTURES ON VIEW FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES SEPTEMBER 14, 2013 – MARCH 2, 2014
DALLAS (July 11, 2013) – On view for the first time in the southern United States, the gold set of Ai Weiwei’s bronze sculptures, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold, will be shown from September 14, 2013 – March 2, 2014 at the Crow Collection of Asian Art.
The twelve animal heads each depict a segment of the ancient Chinese zodiac. Made of gilded bronze and reaching between 20 and 30 inches in height, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold are based on a complex fountain and clock system that was built for an imperial retreat in 18th century China. Located at the Old Summer Palace just outside Beijing, the original fountain-clock was designed by Italian Jesuit Giuseppe Castiglione at the behest of the Qianlong Emperor. When the retreat was looted in 1860 during the Second Opium War, the bronze animal heads were stolen and only seven of the twelve are known to survive.
Continuing his work of re-interpreting the historical and cultural, artist/ provocateur Ai Weiwei has re-envisioned all twelve zodiac heads instead of re-creating the original. In the process, he has brought the history of these objects into the present—raising issues of looting and repatriation, questioning what we think of as “real,” “fake,” or a “copy,” and what may constitute the best of these. In so doing, Ai sheds light on the myriad ways that history can be made to serve different purposes.
“Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold is really a work about the freedom of the imagination, and the persistence of ideas, said theHuffington Post last March. “It was conceived by a courageous man who has put his life and career at risk by asking inconvenient questions. It is worth noting that Ai Weiwei, who was born on May 18, 1957, was born under the sign of the rooster, an indication of a cautious, skeptical and perceptive mind.”
This exhibition marks the first time Ai’s works have been exhibited in Dallas. Ai Weiwei’s larger bronze set of Zodiac Heads is currently on view at the Cleveland Museum of Art. “We are thrilled to share Ai’s work with our patrons and the entire city of Dallas,” says Crow Collection of Asian Art Executive Director Amy Lewis Hofland. “These magnificent works are truly at the forefront of what is happening in Asian Art now. Ai’s work extends beyond the visual statement and I look forward to the many discussions his work with incite. This exciting exhibition is the perfect preamble for the opening of our Sculpture Garden just a few weeks later.”
Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold is organized by the Crow Collection of Asian Art and AW Asia, New York. Admission is free. The Crow Collection of Asian Art is open Tuesdays – Thursdays (10 a.m. – 9 p.m.), Fridays – Saturdays (10 a.m. – 6 p.m.), Sundays (12 p.m. – 6 p.m.) and closed on Mondays. For more information, please go to crowcollection.org
About The Crow Collection of Asian Art
The Crow Collection of Asian Art features a variety of spaces and galleries with changing exhibitions of the arts of China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia drawn from cultures ancient and contemporary. Just 14 years in operation, this lovingly curated free museum offers a serene setting for quiet reflection in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. The Crow Collection continues to grow in art and service to the Dallas-Fort Worth community with an emphasis on shared learning and fun. New initiatives include the development of an Asian physical and mental wellness center endorsed by Dr. Andrew Weil as well as a Sculpture Garden slated to open October 5, 2013. For more information, please go to crowcollection.org