Free Speech belongs to a trio of artworks by Ai Weiwei which combine innovative printing methods with pillars of freedom upheld throughout his practice.
The edition encompasses rife global friction between free expression and censorship. Birds with open beaks – a nod to Twitter – hover above a symmetrical arrangement of razor wire, printed in 11 distinct layers on a silkscreen press. Glossy, vibrant colours contrast a matte black underprint, while a series of varnish highlights and phosphorescent details anoint the composition with depth and drama.
Stylistically, the work is an ode to papercut artworks made by the artist's father – a renowned poet persecuted by the Chinese government – during his childhood. Ai's interest in paper cutting also stems from its historic status as a domestic pursuit, rather than a viable artistic medium.
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