CNC cut aluminium sculpture.
Carved from solid aluminium using industrial machinery. Irregularities and process marks are to be expected.
Signature and edition number engraved on reverse.
To Be Looked At... by Ai Weiwei is a striking CNC-cut aluminium sculpture created in 2024, reflecting the artist’s ongoing engagement with themes of surveillance and power. Cast from solid aluminium using industrial processes, the work features a cluster of CCTV cameras arranged in a radial pattern, pointing outward to simulate omnipresent observation. Each piece is unique due to irregularities in machining, intentionally preserved by the artist. The work serves both as a conceptual critique and a sculptural object, merging political commentary with minimalist design. It can be displayed on a flat surface or mounted to the wall, transforming domestic or institutional spaces into zones of implied control. Weiwei’s sculpture references his personal history of government surveillance, turning a symbol of oppression into a work of sharp satire.
Ai Weiwei (China, 1957) is a globally influential artist and activist blending conceptual art with political commentary. Known for provocative works like Sunflower Seeds and Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, he critiques authority, censorship, and human rights abuses. His installations, films, and public interventions challenge societal norms and inspire global dialogue.
MetalMetal has been traditionally used in art for creating sculptures, jewelry, masks, adornments, tools, and weapons, often featuring decorative elements. Common types of metal used include bronze, brass, cast iron, gray iron, copper, gold, tin, wrought iron, and silver.
CNC cut aluminium sculpture.
Carved from solid aluminium using industrial machinery. Irregularities and process marks are to be expected.
Signature and edition number engraved on reverse.
To Be Looked At... by Ai Weiwei is a striking CNC-cut aluminium sculpture created in 2024, reflecting the artist’s ongoing engagement with themes of surveillance and power. Cast from solid aluminium using industrial processes, the work features a cluster of CCTV cameras arranged in a radial pattern, pointing outward to simulate omnipresent observation. Each piece is unique due to irregularities in machining, intentionally preserved by the artist. The work serves both as a conceptual critique and a sculptural object, merging political commentary with minimalist design. It can be displayed on a flat surface or mounted to the wall, transforming domestic or institutional spaces into zones of implied control. Weiwei’s sculpture references his personal history of government surveillance, turning a symbol of oppression into a work of sharp satire.
Ai Weiwei (China, 1957) is a globally influential artist and activist blending conceptual art with political commentary. Known for provocative works like Sunflower Seeds and Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, he critiques authority, censorship, and human rights abuses. His installations, films, and public interventions challenge societal norms and inspire global dialogue.
If my art has nothing to do with people's pain and sorrow, what is 'art' for?
- Ai Weiwei
Receiving worldwide acclaim for his activism, Ai Weiwei’s work spans across several mediums as an architect, curator and filmmaker. Ai’s most recognised social commentaries pertain to the Chinese government and the loss of traditional culture; Sunflower Seeds - a piece displayed at the Tate Modern - featured the scattering of over 60 million hand-painted porcelain ‘seeds’, an allusion to the destructive nature of mass consumption and the subsequent loss of individuality. Prior to the cultural revolution that took place in China, Ai and his family had first been sent to a labour camp, then subsequently exiled for 16 years. Upon the Chinese reform, Ai moved to New York and was notably influenced by the work of Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp; he also met beat poet, Allen Ginsberg, around this time, and developed his own philosophies on the schism between Western and traditional cultures. Coca Cola Vase is another of Ai’s most acclaimed works; a Han dynasty urn that has been emblazoned with the Coca Cola logo – another nod to the ever-expanding consumerist culture. (Artist website)
Contemporary art refers to avant-garde or innovative art created in the recent past or present day. The exact starting point of contemporary art varies depending on the institution, often tied to the founding year of museums or galleries that showcase the style. Contemporary art is characterized by its focus on current ideas, diverse media, and the exploration of new concepts and techniques.