Taifeng

Beginning in 2013, Ai Weiwei began creating works using the language of traditional Chinese kites. His first works in the medium of bamboo and silk were exhibited on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco in 2014. These works are created in Weifang, Shandong Province, where there is a long tradition of kite-making. Ai created a series of works inspired by the Shanhaijing, or the Classic of Mountains and Seas, which continued to use traditional kite-making techniques. The classic text dates back to the 4th century BC and was an important record of mythology, geography, culture, and the societal structure of the time. The mythological creatures depicted in the Shanhaijing reflected the imagination of the people and the language used to communicate ideas larger than their own understanding.While most traditional kites are two-dimensional and intended for flight, Ai pushed the craftsmen to explore the outer bounds of what was possible with these familiar materials. The works took on greater scale, more elaborate designs, and three-dimensional shape.