Ai Weiwei / Herzog & de Meuron: Beijing, Venice, London

“Beijing, Venice, London” is published to mark the collaboration between Ai Weiwei and Herzog & de Meuron. Volume I of this large-format, twin-volume gallery edition documents the construction of the National Stadium, Beijing, through a series of 100 photographs taken between 2005 and 2008. Reflection on The Birds Nest continues in Volume II by means of the 24 Hour Series – a sequence of photographs taken of the stadium by Ai Weiwei once an hour during a day and a night. Also featured is the major installation created by the artist and architects for the Venice Biennale of Architecture, 2008, along with a number of related works produced for Ai Weiweis exhibition at Albion, London, in the autumn of 2008, curated by Charles Merewether. In addition to Merewethers essay exploring the works produced for each of the three cities and an interview between Ai Weiwei and Jacques Herzog commissioned by Parkett, is an essay by Aaron Betsky, Director of the Venice Biennale of Architecture, 2008, which addresses the photographs documenting the construction process of the National Stadium Beijing.