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hungrybookclub's review against another edition
2.5
Great drawings and message though I found it disconnected at times
rebus's review against another edition
0.25
The art is nearly as depthless and bland as the ideology contained within the narrative, another narcissist who believes that Art drives change in society, when in fact it's really just self serving and not about any fight for freedom (proven by the narcissistic manner in which he refers to himself throughout as 'we' in the third person plural). It's discursive and unfocused and lacking in any sort of insight about true oppression--he's clearly very well off and always had some sort of class privilege, even in his repressive culture--not to mention very little insight about Art.
There are some true things to go along with the idiotic theming of the book around the Chinese zodiac. Weiwei says that fear is the most productive tool in a society and that it acts as a brake on Art, yet he still believes Art has the power to change this political structure (society started out fascist and is more so than ever). I agree that Art should oppose repetition and that it teaches us to embrace more dangerous ways of experiencing ourselves, yet he has the privilege to travel the world in luxury and virtue signal (while not recognizing the modern 'truths' that are the true, and not the perceived, bullying). Neruda's dog, by the way, asked questions any 8th grade science student could answer, yet Weiwei thinks it's profound poetry.
He may be correct that any artist who isn't an activist is a dead artist--I hope he means dead inside and not that every artist who ever lived was an activist, which is clearly not the case--but he is no more fighting for freedom than any self serving artist who is only working in order to eat (and producing bland establishment work for the most part).
I have no interest in exploring any of his work further.
There are some true things to go along with the idiotic theming of the book around the Chinese zodiac. Weiwei says that fear is the most productive tool in a society and that it acts as a brake on Art, yet he still believes Art has the power to change this political structure (society started out fascist and is more so than ever). I agree that Art should oppose repetition and that it teaches us to embrace more dangerous ways of experiencing ourselves, yet he has the privilege to travel the world in luxury and virtue signal (while not recognizing the modern 'truths' that are the true, and not the perceived, bullying). Neruda's dog, by the way, asked questions any 8th grade science student could answer, yet Weiwei thinks it's profound poetry.
He may be correct that any artist who isn't an activist is a dead artist--I hope he means dead inside and not that every artist who ever lived was an activist, which is clearly not the case--but he is no more fighting for freedom than any self serving artist who is only working in order to eat (and producing bland establishment work for the most part).
I have no interest in exploring any of his work further.
dogtrax's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese protest artist of great renown, and here, in the form of a graphic novel based thematically on the Chinese Zodiac, his views on art and survival and hope, and political oppression, simmer through. The artwork is black/white drawings, but his personality and integrity filter through.
maiakobabe's review against another edition
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I've been following Ai Weiwei's work since about 2010, and was absolutely delighted to learn he was releasing a comic memoir. I managed to snag a signed copy though the <a href="https://www.comixexperience.com/graphic-novel-club">Comix Experience Graphic Novel of the Month Club</a> and I will treasure it. This book is organized into 12 chapters, each themed around one animal from the zodiac. It weaves together slice of life moments from Ai Weiwei's day to day life, stories of his father (the revolutionary poet Ai Qing), memories of Ai's time as an art student in New York, his incarceration, time spent with his mother, his partner, and his son, conversations with artist friends and some of his international exhibitions. It is not a tight narrative; it wanders, it indulges in myths and fairy tales, it is open ended and I enjoyed it so much. It was written along with Elettra Stamboulis, and draw in a delicate lose line art style by Gianluca Costantini. A few of the lines from the end of the book haven't left my head since I read them: "Freedom of speech and human rights are not given to anybody for free. They always come through fighting and struggle" (101); "Any artist who isn't an activist is a dead artist" (165) and "... the purpose of art, which is to fight for freedom."(166)
messickmj's review against another edition
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.0
brice_mo's review
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Clarkson for the ARC!
A swirl of memoir, mythology, and memory itself, Ai Weiwei’s Zodiac is simply a delight. I’m not sure artists can ever write about themselves as lucidly as they can write about art, and that seems to be Ai’s operating principle here. He is present only to unite the twelve Zodiac-themed chapters, and the book seems otherwise disinterested in him as a person. Instead, through stories embedded in stories embedded in stories, readers are treated to reflections on the importance of art, its role as a political force, and what it means to the artist.
I haven’t read Ai’s other memoir, and, to be honest, I don’t know much about him, but the decision to frame this as a graphic novel serves an interesting rhetorical function. All memoir is self-mythology, but by depicting it visually, there’s an aspiration of objectivity here. It allows the author to remove himself when he chooses, and this further creates room for a multitude of folktales and insights from other artists. This is a memoir that humbly hopes to be bigger than its writer.
At one point, Ai writes, “time collapses in photos,” and this also seems to be the impetus behind the book’s modality. So much of the author’s work is political, and so much of politics is about who controls history. By using illustrations, history almost folds in on itself here, eliminating political meta-narratives entirely. Ai rejects the impulse to glorify history in any capacity, instead concentrating on beauty and relationships.
In the end, his guiding theme is hope, a concept he returns to with anthemic fervor in each of the book’s cyclical chapters.
A swirl of memoir, mythology, and memory itself, Ai Weiwei’s Zodiac is simply a delight. I’m not sure artists can ever write about themselves as lucidly as they can write about art, and that seems to be Ai’s operating principle here. He is present only to unite the twelve Zodiac-themed chapters, and the book seems otherwise disinterested in him as a person. Instead, through stories embedded in stories embedded in stories, readers are treated to reflections on the importance of art, its role as a political force, and what it means to the artist.
I haven’t read Ai’s other memoir, and, to be honest, I don’t know much about him, but the decision to frame this as a graphic novel serves an interesting rhetorical function. All memoir is self-mythology, but by depicting it visually, there’s an aspiration of objectivity here. It allows the author to remove himself when he chooses, and this further creates room for a multitude of folktales and insights from other artists. This is a memoir that humbly hopes to be bigger than its writer.
At one point, Ai writes, “time collapses in photos,” and this also seems to be the impetus behind the book’s modality. So much of the author’s work is political, and so much of politics is about who controls history. By using illustrations, history almost folds in on itself here, eliminating political meta-narratives entirely. Ai rejects the impulse to glorify history in any capacity, instead concentrating on beauty and relationships.
In the end, his guiding theme is hope, a concept he returns to with anthemic fervor in each of the book’s cyclical chapters.
victoriathuyvi's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.25