‘Nobody Has Endless Strength’: Ai Weiwei’s New Life in Europe

Bernhard Zand | Der Spiegel | 13th August 2015

Two weeks after regaining his passport, Ai Weiwei left China for Berlin, his return date uncertain. Some wonder if his fame comes from his art or just his political activism. Jed Perl described him as “a man with a quick mind, indomitable energy, and no particular aptitude for art.” Perhaps Ai Weiwei is wondering if activism has been his muse: “[A]s an artist, I have a big problem with this situation… What should I do now?”