Ai Weiwei’s towering, geometric Forever Bicycles installation has awed audiences around the world, from Toronto’s Nuit Blanche to the 2014 Venice Architecture Biennale. The series takes its name from a popular Chinese bicycle manufacturer Yong Jiu (translation: forever). By arranging the bicycle forms in tightly ordered labyrinthine sculptures, the artist creates a representation of mass production, replication and the “changing social environment in China and around the globe.” The series has taken various forms in installations around the globe, from Toronto to Taipei, however, in this most recent incarnation, Ai Weiwei was unable to participate in the installation of the sculpture due to restrictions imposed by the Chinese Government, which prevent him from leaving his home country.
Lead image © Laura Bushell
