Ai Weiwei's first drawing in 50 years lights-up London

Ai Weiwei's first drawing in more than 50 years is being presented nightly as a new animation A Tree at Piccadilly Lights – the iconic giant screen display at Piccadilly Circus – until 9th September. The urban intervention by Cira in collaboration with Factory International follows the opening (2nd July) in Manchester of the artist’s blockbuster exhibition, Button Up! at The Warehouse at Aviva Studios, the home of Factory International.

Beginning at 7pm, the Piccadilly presentation features Trees, a poem written by Weiwei's father, Ai Qing, in the spring of 1940, which adds a personal facet to the animation of the artist’s sketch, which is layered with meaning. Weiwei's first drawing in more than 50 years was conceived beneath the 1,200-year-old Major Oak in Nottinghamshire’s Sherwood Forest during the summer solstice: a meditation on memory, resilience and the passage of time. 

The drawing also recounts an exchange with the late artist David Hockney, who died in June this year. When considering what was “good news”, Hockney recalled a philosopher who had stated: “The arrival of spring”.  Reflecting on the Major Oak, which experts also confirmed had died in June, Ai Weiwei returned to that exchange commenting, “But for this tree... it's tired. It doesn't have another spring.”  The piece was presented on July 9th – what would have been Hockney's 89th birthday.

Manchester’s Ai Weiwei: Button Up! exhibition runs until 6th September, showcasing the artist’s expansive output through sculpture, ceramics, film and inflatables. The works explore themes of censorship, globalisation, and human rights.

Hand-signed prints (£450) of the original A Tree drawing are available for purchase online at the art charity Cira’s site circa.art until 9th September.