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A review by nathansnook
Zodiac: A Graphic Memoir by Ai Weiwei
adventurous
informative
reflective
fast-paced
3.0
Major thanks to NetGalley and Ten Speed Graphic for offering an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts:
"𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘵."
Through Waking Life imagery where dreams and imagination combine to weave an intricate tapestry of all the moments where Weiwei felt most alien, we are graciously given a tapestry collecting the harsh brutality of the Chinese police, censorship and where his art stands between the world and China all done through the examinations of the zodiac animals.
Though heavy-handed at times, Weiwei tries to embed what he has learned and what he has seen sporadically throughout his years as an artist, a prisoner, and a human being.
"𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵, 𝘸𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘵."
Through Waking Life imagery where dreams and imagination combine to weave an intricate tapestry of all the moments where Weiwei felt most alien, we are graciously given a tapestry collecting the harsh brutality of the Chinese police, censorship and where his art stands between the world and China all done through the examinations of the zodiac animals.
Though heavy-handed at times, Weiwei tries to embed what he has learned and what he has seen sporadically throughout his years as an artist, a prisoner, and a human being.