The 14th edition of Sculpture in the City has annouced that Ai Weiwei will be included in this year's program. Launching on July 16, Sculpture in the City continues its mission to transform the City of London into a vibrant open-air gallery, placing world-class public art in the heart of urban environments. Ai Weiwei’s cast-iron tree root sculpture Roots: Palace will be installed at St Botolph without Bishopsgate. From a series created in collaboration with Brazilian artisans and communities by moulding sculptures from the roots and trunks of endangered Pequi Vinagreiro trees, the work explores uprootedness. It references the artist’s personal exile, as well as global refugee crises and the displacement of Brazil’s indigenous peoples. Crafted using ancient “lost wax” casting techniques, elements of these rare tree roots are transformed into evocative compositions that resemble both mythical creatures and fragmented natural forms.
Learn more at sculptureinthecity.org.uk.
