At this salon, we will explore the life and art of world renowned Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei. He is known for his collaboration with architects Herzog & de Meuron on the design of the 2008 Beijing Olympic National Stadium, and for his recent battles for accountability and freedom of expression in China, using the internet and social media as an active platform for social and political commentary and as an art form in itself. He also works in photography, video, sculpture, and installation, using wood, bronze, antique, natural and found objects, and many other materials for work that is sometimes documentary, sometimes simply beautiful, mostly conceptual, and always highly imaginative, dating from his 12 years in the US to his return to China, exploring China's past and present. His work is currently on display at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington, DC, and in a documentary film, "Never Sorry".