Famed artist Ai Weiwei proves that he is as prolific in his absence as he is in his presence, with a new solo exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum (TFAM). Located at the heart of the show 'Absent', Weiwei's 'Forever Bicycles' installation is a ten-meter high, cavernous structure built from 1,200 bicycles -- the most the Chinese artist has ever used in a single exhibit. Created specifically for TFAM, the display is a layered edifice that gives the illusion of a moving form. Weiwei's project is symbolic of the continued transformation of China's social landscape.
How can he afford stuff like this?
12,000 bikes, now forever consigned to the most wasteful, pretentious and pointless exhibit that inhabitat has ever featured? Seriously?
Exceptionally boring. I would hope someone with that much hype would try harder to make a challenging installation.
Also…those bikes are NEW. Not RESUSED. Not RECYCLED. What exactly is interesting about buying TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars worth of new bikes and stringing them up? This is the great Ai Weiwei? Come on, I expect a LOT more out of international superstar artists…