Ai Weiwei
Artist's Hand (Middle Finger), 2017
Electroplated rhodium on cast urethane resin
10.2 × 10.2 cm
edition of 1000
It's said to be the oldest gesture of insult. The raising of the middle finger which can be traced back to ancient Greece. Ai Weiwei first use of the act...
It's said to be the oldest gesture of insult. The raising of the middle finger which can be traced back to ancient Greece.
Ai Weiwei first use of the act was in a photograph, aimed at Tianamen Square, where the authorities massacred students in 1989. The middle finger motif became a recurring element in Ai Weiwei's work, serving as a symbol of defiance and dissent against oppressive systems.
With it Weiwei challenges authority and calls attention to issues of censorship and human rights.
Through this powerful gesture, Ai Weiwei confronts social and political norms, inviting viewers to question authority and stand up for freedom of expression.