Ai Weiwei : The Activist Artist and His Sunflower Seeds

Art and Social Responsibility

In my opinion, the work of an artist is not only about creating beautiful objects to impress people. An artist also has a responsibility towards their country and society. Ai Weiwei, a Chinese artist, activist, and philosopher, embodies this idea perfectly. His works, which transcend national borders, speak about humanity and human rights. This article focuses on one of his most iconic works: Sunflower Seeds.

Ai Weiwei, born on August 28, 1957, grew up in the northwest of China under harsh conditions due to his father’s exile. As an activist, he openly criticized the Chinese government’s stance on democracy and human rights, investigating corruption and government scandals. He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of “tofu-dreg schools” in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. In April 2011, Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing International Airport for “economic crimes” and detained for 81 days without charge. Ai Weiwei emerged as a vital instigator in Chinese cultural development, an architect of Chinese modernism, and one of the nation’s most vocal political commentators.

The Artwork: Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower Seeds 2010 consists of 100 million individually handcrafted porcelain sunflower seeds. The artwork has a volume of nearly ten cubic meters, weighing approximately ten tons. The artist specified two different configurations for the work.

In the first, the seeds are arranged in a continuous rectangular or square field at a depth of ten centimeters. This “bed” of seeds conforms to the dimensions of the exhibition space, with walls confining the work on three sides. This work is derived from the eleventh commission of the Unilever Series for the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern, for which Ai created in 2010, a bed of ceramic sunflower seeds installed on the floor of the space.

The first time Ai Weiwei presented this multitude of sunflower seeds, the work took the form of a continuous rectangular field to create a “single surface,” with an interactive element, as the public was invited to walk on the seeds. However, after the initial days of the exhibition, it was no longer possible for spectators to interact with the work by walking on it due to health risks posed by the resulting dust.

Alternatively, the work is presented as a conical sculptural form, approximately five meters in diameter. In this second configuration, there is no containing structure or support for the conical shape, which is installed by carefully pouring the seeds from the top to form the shape. The uneven edges can be adjusted by hand at the time of installation.

The production of the seeds took place in the city of Jingdezhen, in northern Jiangxi, a region of China south of Beijing. Historically renowned for its kilns and the production of imperial porcelain, this region is still known for its high-quality porcelain. The sunflower seeds were crafted by 1,600 individual artisans in an artisanal setting, rather than in a large-scale factory, using a special type of stone from a particular mountain in Jingdezhen.

Symbolism and Interpretation

When Ai Weiwei was a child, growing up in a poor district in northwest China, he remembers the special significance that sunflower seeds had. He and his friends would offer one another sunflower seeds as gifts or treats, not just as a snack, but because they hid inside them the potential to grow into something big and full of joy. As he grew older, Ai Weiwei came to see sunflower seeds as a potent symbol of childhood poverty in China, and also as a meaningful metaphor for the power of human connection and sharing during difficult times.

Another reason why Ai Weiwei chose sunflowers is their role in Chinese communist propaganda during his childhood. The symbol of the sunflower was omnipresent during the Cultural Revolution in China in the 1960s and 1970s, used as a visual metaphor for Chairman Mao (1893-1976) and for the entire population. As Ai grew up, he remembered propaganda posters featuring Mao Zedong, with a face acting as the sun, while sunflowers turning towards him represented citizens of the People’s Republic of China.

But in this artwork, Ai Weiwei subverts this notion by relating sunflower seeds back to the poverty of his childhood. Ai Weiwei examines the complex exchanges between the individual and the masses, the self and society. The sunflower seeds, intricately and individually handcrafted, invite a reconsideration of the phenomenon of “Made in China”, typically associated with cheap mass-produced goods. The multitude of sunflower seeds evokes the quest for individuality in a rapidly transforming society.

Ai Weiwei: A Committed Artist

Ai Weiwei’s practice is increasingly motivated by the issues facing contemporary China, such as autocratic rule, the disappearance of Chinese cultural and material history, and concerns regarding human rights, forced labor, and poverty. Sunflower Seeds explores the complexity of the relationship between the Chinese individual and society, authorities, and tradition.

Ai Weiwei has drawn inspiration from his personal experience and his family’s history to create works that deeply resonate with social and political issues. The sunflower seeds, a symbol of his childhood, have become a powerful reminder of Chinese culture and resilience.

In his proposal for the Unilever Series Commission, Ai commented on the importance of sunflower seeds:

“When I was growing up, it was a common symbol for the people, the sunflower faces the trajectory of the red sun, just as the masses must feel their leadership. Handfuls were carried in pockets, to be consumed on all occasions, both casual and formal. Much more than a snack, it was the minimal ingredient that constituted the most essential needs and desires. Their empty shells were the ephemeral traces of social activity. The smallest common denominator of human satisfaction. I wonder what would have happened without them.“

Ai Weiwei, new proposal for the Tate Modern Unilever Series, March 2010.

An Emotional and Eloquent Work

Ai Weiwei’s practice is increasingly driven by the issues facing contemporary China. Sunflower Seeds explores the complexity of the Chinese individual’s relationship with society, authorities, and tradition. The piece has been on Ai’s mind since he was approached by a documentarian who had tried to locate the bodies of thousands of Chinese exiles in the icy deserts of the Gobi Desert during the Cultural Revolution. His father was among the many victims.

When the documentarian brought back some of the bones she had found to Beijing, she asked if they were something Ai could use in his art as a memorial to the disappeared. But as an artist, he couldn’t use bones; he thought of finding something that represents the culture and people of China.

By exploring the works of artists like Ai Weiwei, we discover that art can be much more than mere aesthetics; it can be a true catalyst for social and political change. Ai Weiwei shows us that art, when used thoughtfully and boldly, can have a profound impact on society. His sunflower seeds remind us of the beauty of individuality in a world where conformity is often the norm.