AI WEIWEI

Circle Of Animals/Zodiac Heads Los Angeles County Museum of Art 20 August 2011–12 February 2012 Los Angeles

Press Release

Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads references a long and ongoing story of cross-cultural exchange and collision between China and the West, beginning with a mid-18th century fountain at Yuanmingyuan, the Old Summer Palace in Beijing. The fountain, commissioned by Emperor Qianlong and designed by Jesuit priests promoting Catholicism in China, was used to tell time: 12 zodiac animal sculptures each spouted water for two hours (or one shichen) each day.

During the Second Opium War in 1860, the waterspouts were looted from Yuanmingyuan by French and British forces. Over the past 35 years, a number of the original waterspouts have appeared in auctions, including a 2009 auction that spurred controversial repatriation efforts and discussions of ownership, due to the European origin of the original designers. At present, seven of the original waterspouts have been located and returned to China, while the locations of the other five remain unknown.

About the Artist

Ai Weiwei is China’s most recognised contemporary artist. In the past 25 years, Ai has achieved international acclaim for his large-scale installations, political activism, and frenetic online presence.

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Also Exhibiting at Los Angeles County Museum of Art

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ROBERT IRWIN Miracle Mile Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles

BARBARA KRUGER Untitled (Shafted) Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles

MARK BRADFORD 150 Portrait Tone Los Angeles County Museum of Art Los Angeles

About the Gallery

Founded in 1965, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) is a cornerstone of cultural life in California and the largest art museum in the western United States, with a collection of more than 150,000 objects spanning ancient to contemporary art. Reflecting the city’s diverse communities, LACMA has developed particular strengths in Asian art, Latin American art—from pre-Columbian works to modern and contemporary practice—and Islamic art, alongside significant holdings in European and American art, photography, film and media, decorative arts, and design. Together, these collections position LACMA as a key destination for visitors seeking major art museums in Los Angeles.

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Address

5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles
United States

Opening Hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 11 am–6 pm
Friday: 11 am–8 pm
Saturday, Sunday: 10 am–7 pm
Closed Wednesday

Los Angeles County Museum of Art

5905 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States

323 857-6000
http://www.lacma.org/

Opening hours

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 11 am–6 pm
Friday: 11 am–8 pm
Saturday, Sunday: 10 am–7 pm
Closed Wednesday

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