Chinese dissident and artist Ai Weiwei has long tackled politically sensitive subjects. In alleged retaliation for works criticizing the Chinese government, he was arrested and beaten and had his passport confiscated.
In 2014, although he couldn’t travel, Ai designed a massive, groundbreaking exhibit that was installed on Alcatraz island in the San Francisco Bay. The exhibit targeted incarceration, the treatment of Native Americans, and the definition of freedom.
Now, his latest film Human Flow tackles the global refugee crisis. KQED’s Monica Lam sat down with Ai while he was in San Francisco.