Ai Weiwei is a Chinese Contemporary artist and activist. Ai collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008 Olympics. As a political activist, he has been highly and openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. In 2011, following his arrest at Beijing Capital International Airport on 3 April, he was held for 81 days without any official charges being filed; officials alluded to their allegations of "economic crimes". Upon his release he was prohibited from leaving Beijing without permission for one year. He remained under heavy surveillance and restrictions of movement, being unable to leave China. Throughout this time he continued to criticize through his work. In July 2015, he was given a passport and is now allowed to travel abroad.

In 2014–2015, Ai explored human rights and freedom of expression through an exhibition of his art exclusively created for Alcatraz, a notorious federal penitentiary from 27 September 2014 to 26 April 2015. Ai Weiwei may of been banned from leaving China, but his work wasn't. While spending his days in Beijing, he’s created 176 portraits out of LEGO bricks for a thought-provoking exhibition called @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz. The Alcatraz Island location seems fitting seeing that he was basically living within his own country imprisoned.

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