In an excerpt from his memoir, the exiled artist describes his father's first meeting with Mao Zedong.
Illustration by Luis Grañena
Editor’s Note: Ai Weiwei, 64, is an artist and activist. His sculptures and installations have been viewed by millions around the globe, and his architectural achievements include helping to design the iconic Bird’s Nest Olympic Stadium in Beijing. His political activism, however, has long made him a target of Chinese authorities, and in 2011, he was detained for “inciting the subversion of state power.” He was held captive for 81 days and fined $2.4 million. After his passport was retur
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