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Artwork for Ai Weiwei’s memoir broadcast across Piccadilly Circus billboard
Artwork has been displayed on the largest billboard in Europe, at Piccadilly Circus, as part of the campaign for Ai Weiwei’s 1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows (Bodley Head).
The artist's memoir was published by The Bodley Head on 2nd November. In partnership with London-based arts organisation CIRCA, which aims to open up culture, Weiwei created a work of art featuring his book and exploring the theme of freedom of expression. It was shown by CIRCA on the Piccadilly Lights billboard on 30th October.
Rosanna Boscawen, head of campaigns at Vintage, said: “Ai Weiwei writes in his memoir ‘If art cannot engage with life, it has no future'. We wanted to reflect some of Weiwei’s integrity, curiosity and joyous playfulness in the campaign to launch his memoir, while also celebrating his own design for the book’s cover.
“While the CIRCA artwork was on show for a limited time only, we’re extremely excited to have worked closely with Waterstones and the Lisson Gallery to install an original Ai Weiwei artwork in the atrium at Waterstones Piccadilly. The artwork, 'Taifeng', was in situ for Weiwei’s exclusive London signing event in the store on 30th October and will remain until 9th November, giving customers the chance to see his work in the flesh alongside his book. Readers also had the chance of winning a signed Ai Weiwei print when they pre-ordered the book from Waterstones.”
On 29th October, the Southbank Centre projected the artwork that Weiwei created for English PEN’s centenary onto the Royal Festival Hall ahead of his event at the venue, which was attended by around 2,000 people.
Additionally, the campaign for 1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows will feature flyposting across central London as well as a billboard on Leonard Street in Shoreditch, supported by a cross-platform digital advertising campaign.
Vintage said: “We’re thrilled to have partnered with English PEN, which has campaigned for Weiwei and many other writers and artists as they defend freedom of speech; they had a stand at the Waterstones Piccadilly signing and donations from a Penguin Random House staff sale will be given to them. Additional partnership activity will see Weiwei write a manifesto for WeTransfer, support from the Frontline Club and activity with Chinese community groups in London.”
Weiwei will be back on tour promoting the book with events and signings in Manchester, Edinburgh, St Andrews, Glasgow and Cambridge. Visit the Penguin Events website for more details.
