Ai Weiwei's Surveillance Camera Sculpture: Global Locations, One Message

Artist and activist Ai Weiwei is known for his criticism of the Chinese government and his art, which often reflects his experiences of state surveillance. His sculpture 'Surveillance Camera' (2010) was exhibited at the Lisson Gallery in London in 2011. The sculpture is made of marble and is a replica of the CCTV cameras positioned outside his house while he was under house arrest. The sculpture has also been exhibited at the Hirshhorn Museum of Art in Washington, D.C., the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Art Gallery of Ontario, among others. In 2012, Weiwei also launched a self-surveillance project, WeiweiCam, which consisted of four webcams that provided a live 24-hour feed from outside his house in Beijing.

Ai Weiwei's sculpture was exhibited at the Lisson Gallery in London in 2011

Ai Weiwei's sculpture, *Surveillance Camera* (2010), was exhibited at the Lisson Gallery in London from 16 May to 16 July 2011. The exhibition, which was agreed with the artist at the beginning of 2011, featured a selection of key works from the previous six years.

Surveillance Camera is a marble sculpture that reflects on contemporary China and the role of art. Weiwei hand-carved the sculpture from a single block of white marble from a quarry near Beijing, serving Imperial China and Mao Tse Tung's mausoleum. The choice of marble, the medium of monuments and gravestones, evokes themes of paranoia, voyeurism, and the omnipotence of a 'policing' authoritative force. Weiwei's experience of constant surveillance and his response of making his life totally transparent through endless Twitter documentation inspired the sculpture.

The exhibition at the Lisson Gallery included 12 other works by Weiwei, such as *Colored Vases* (2009-2010), groupings of Han Dynasty pots covered in industrial paint, and a number of key video works, including *Chang'an Boulevard* (2004), a 10-hour and 13-minute-long film that records Beijing's central boulevard.

Weiwei's work consistently displays great courage in placing himself at risk to effect social change through his art. He serves as an example of legitimate social criticism and free expression in China and internationally.

The sculpture was hand-carved from a single block of white marble

Ai Weiwei's "Surveillance Camera" sculpture was hand-crafted from a single block of white marble. The marble was sourced from a quarry near Beijing, which served Imperial China and was also used in Mao Tse Tung's mausoleum. This choice of material is significant as marble holds great importance in Chinese cultural history.

The sculpture is a life-sized replica of the CCTV cameras that were positioned outside Ai Weiwei's house when he was under house arrest and surveillance by the Chinese police in 2010. By recreating the camera in marble, a material associated with monuments and gravestones, Ai Weiwei memorialises the apparatus of surveillance. The sculpture evokes themes of paranoia, voyeurism, and the omnipotence of a 'policing' authoritative force.

The "Surveillance Camera" sculpture measures 14 x 15-1/2 x 7-1/2 inches (35.6 x 39.4 x 19.1 cm). It was exhibited at the Lisson Gallery in London in 2011 and has also been displayed at other prestigious institutions, including the Hirshhorn Museum of Art in Washington, D.C., the Indianapolis Museum of Art, and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Ai Weiwei's "Surveillance Camera" is an intriguing commentary on the technological advancements of the modern world, particularly the increasing presence of surveillance technology in our daily lives. By rendering the camera in marble and thus making it non-functional, Ai Weiwei transforms the instrument of surveillance into an exquisite minimalist sculpture, elevating the mundane to the realm of high art.

It was inspired by the artist's experience of detainment and surveillance

Ai Weiwei's Surveillance Camera sculpture was inspired by the artist's experience of detainment and surveillance. The concept for the sculpture came to fruition after Ai discovered cameras and listening devices in his studio. The work, therefore, refers to the artist's personal experience of being under constant surveillance.

Surveillance Camera (2010) is an intriguing commentary on the more sinister technological advancements of the modern world. The sculpture is at once archaic and contemporary, marrying the ancient art form of marble carving with the digitalised camera; a symbol of modernity. Rendered in opulent white marble, the camera becomes a non-functional, exquisite minimalist sculpture. Seated on a plinth, the mundane is elevated to the realm of high art, espousing a captivating cross-over of disciplines.

Ai Weiwei comments on his choice of material:

> 'Marble is of course a very important and rich material in art history. It tends to be the conventional material of monuments. I suppose you could say that the grass, the pushchair, the surveillance cameras are all part of a tradition of antimonuments as well: they’re both monuments and antimonuments at the same time.'

The artist's experience of detainment and surveillance also inspired another project called WeiweiCam. This self-surveillance project went live on 3 April 2012, exactly one year after Ai Weiwei was detained by Chinese officials at Beijing Airport. WeiweiCam consisted of four webcams that sent a live 24-hour feed from the artist's house in Beijing, which, according to Ai, made it the most-watched spot in the city. The website received 5.2 million views before Chinese authorities instructed Ai to shut it down 46 hours later.

The sculpture was sold at Heritage Auctions in 2015 for $601,500

Ai Weiwei's Surveillance Camera sculpture was sold at Heritage Auctions in New York on 28 October 2015 for $601,500. The auction house described the sculpture as follows:

> Surveillance Camera (2010) is a reflection on contemporary China and on the role of art. The work exemplifies the methods, materials and concerns of Ai Weiwei (born in Beijing in 1957), one of the most recognized artists of our time, throughout his increasingly successful career. The sculpture is a clear example of Ai's method: the combination of traditional Chinese modes of production, Duchampian appropriation and conceptual art principles.

The sculpture was hand-carved from a single block of white marble from a quarry near Beijing. The marble was of particular importance as it was used in Mao Tse Tung's mausoleum and served Imperial China. The sculpture was modelled on the cameras that were positioned by police outside Ai's house when he was placed under house arrest and surveillance in November 2010.

The Surveillance Camera sculpture was exhibited at the Lisson Gallery in London from 13 May to 16 July 2011. It was also included in the Ai Weiwei exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts in London from September to December 2015.

It has also been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London

Ai Weiwei's Surveillance Camera sculpture has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts in London. The Royal Academy of Arts exhibition took place from 19 September to 13 December 2015. Surveillance Camera was displayed alongside S.A.C.R.E.D, an installation depicting scenes from the artist's 81-day incarceration.

Surveillance Camera (2010) is a marble sculpture that reflects on contemporary China and the role of art. Weiwei's choice of marble, the medium of monuments and gravestones, evokes themes of paranoia, voyeurism and the omnipotence of a 'policing' authoritative force. The sculpture was hand-carved from a single block of white marble from a quarry near Beijing, serving Imperial China and used in Mao Tse Tung's mausoleum. The marble sculpture is a replication of the CCTV cameras positioned by police outside the artist's house.

The exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts also included a solo exhibition of S.A.C.R.E.D, an installation comprising six scenes from Weiwei's 81-day incarceration. Each unit offers dioramas containing half-life-size effigies of the artist and his captors, documenting moments of his captivity in detail.

Weiwei is an outspoken critic of the Chinese communist regime and has been placed under house arrest and constant surveillance. In response, he has made his life totally transparent through endless Twitter documentation, stating, "If everything is open, there's nothing to spy on." Weiwei's work at the Royal Academy of Arts exhibition in London demonstrated his courage in placing himself at risk to affect social change through his art.

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