Ai Weiwei in conversation with Kenneth Roth

Ai Weiwei is well known for his outspoken stance on human rights and corruption. A victim of state surveillance, imprisonment, harassment and abuse, he is better placed than most artists to address these problems. On Monday 3 February 2020, Ai – together with Human Rights Watch Executive Director Kenneth Roth and New York Times journalist Helene Cooper – will discuss how creativity can bring real change in a turbulent world.

Born in Beijing in 1957, Ai was raised in exile. He has since suffered arrests, beatings and persecution for speaking out against human rights abuses, censorship and corruption. His refusal to turn a blind eye and to bow to intimidation, has made him a global icon and symbol of rebellion and resistance. Together with Helene Cooper, who was made a refugee at just 14 years old, and Kenneth Roth, who has had a long career battling for human rights as a lawyer, Ai will address the role of art in challenging and disrupting systems of control and state abuse.

This unmissable talk will shed light on the place of conceptual art in the modern world and the growing power of the global artist. Tickets are likely to sell out, so book yours now!