{"id":4420,"date":"2022-05-08T14:22:51","date_gmt":"2022-05-08T14:22:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jsis.washington.edu\/earc\/?p=4420"},"modified":"2022-08-04T13:43:29","modified_gmt":"2022-08-04T13:43:29","slug":"1000-years-of-joys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jsis.washington.edu\/earc\/1000-years-of-joys\/","title":{"rendered":"1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows by Ai Weiwei (2021) Online Book Club"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tuesday, June 28th\u00a0<\/strong>from 4:30PM to 6:30PM (PDT)\u00a0 \u00a0or<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Thursday, June 30th\u00a0<\/strong>from 4:30PM to 6:30PM (PDT)<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Many know Ai Weiwei as China\u2019s most controversial and perhaps most dangerous artist.\u00a0 \u00a0As we see from his documentaries or through his accessible installations that can be walked on, around or under, Ai Weiwei continues breaking boundaries to create thought provoking art.\u00a0 \u00a0In this book club, Tese Neighbor<\/a> discussed Ai Weiwei\u2019s first memoir entitled 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

In many ways, Ai Weiwei\u2019s life parallels his father\u2019s, the famed poet Ai Qing (1910-1996). The title comes from words his father penned \u201cOf a thousand years of joys and sorrow\/ Not a trace can be found\/You who are living, live the best life you can\/Don\u2019t count on the earth to preserve memory.\u201d Ai Weiwei dedicates his preserved memories to his young son Ai Lao – and we are lucky to get a glimpse of\u00a0 his captivating life, covered in 380 pages.<\/p>\n

According to The Guardian,<\/em> \u201c1,000 Years of Joys and Sorrows<\/em>\u00a0touches on the inevitable contradictions of being an activist and an art superstar, but it is above all a story of inherited resilience, strength of character and self-determination.\u201d \u201cLike a star in the sky or a tree in a field, he was always there as a compass point,\u201d Ai writes, reflecting on his father\u2019s death in 1996. \u201cAnd in a quiet and mysterious way he helped me navigate in a direction all my own.\u00a0 By the very absence of explicit guidance, a spiritual connection was forged between us; Father, in his own way, protected me.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0The New York Times review of this memoir can be found here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Book group leader\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

Tese Wintz Neighbor<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Date and time<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The same program was offered on two dates.<\/p>\n

Tuesday, June 28th\u00a0from 4:30PM to 6:30PM (PDT)<\/p>\n

Thursday, June 30th\u00a0from 4:30PM to 6:30PM (PDT)<\/p>\n

Benefits<\/b><\/h3>\n