culture
Scene: Ai Weiwei’s Animal Heads at City Hall
Some sculptures by China's most famous artist and activist have found their way to City Hall.
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- All the heads were covered with these sacks prior to the unveiling.
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- The grand reveal.
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- Mayor Rob Ford was there.
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- He's not known for supporting the arts, but he seemed to enjoy himself all the same.
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- Each animal head represents a different sign of the Chinese zodiac.
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- The AGO's Ai Weiwei exhibition opens in August.
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- The animal heads will remain in Nathan Phillips Square until September 22.
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WHERE: Nathan Phillips Square
WHEN: Tuesday, June 18
WHAT: These 12 bronze animal-head sculptures, each representing a different sign of the Chinese zodiac, were unveiled by the Art Gallery of Ontario this afternoon at a ceremony with Mayor Rob Ford in attendance. They’re the work of Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei, who attained something close to secular sainthood in 2011 after being held prisoner by the Chinese government for a few months. (He’s said to be under constant surveillance to this day.) This group of sculptures, known collectively as Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads, won’t be the last Toronto sees of Ai’s output, because the AGO will be opening a full Ai Weiwei exhibition on August 17. The animal heads, meanwhile, will remain until September 22.