Ai Weiwei

The Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is the featured figure of the 8th edition of Contextile – Contemporary Textile Art Biennial, under the theme "By a Thread / Por um Fio". Between 5 September and 29 November 2026, works created specifically for this context and for the city of Guimarães will be shown.

The proposal for Contextile 2026 begins with a reflection on the present day, marked by environmental, social, and economic crises, and links that reading to art as a gesture of resistance, care, and the building of possible futures. Ai Weiwei’s presence fits into that horizon, bringing to CIAJG and to other spaces in the city a body of work that brings together craftsmanship, Chinese heritage, and conceptual language.

Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai Weiwei develops a broad practice that spans installation, sculpture, film, photography, ceramics, painting, writing, and social media. His work and public intervention are continuously connected, including activism and the defense of international human rights.