Ai Weiwei's biggest UK retrospective opens at Churchill's Blenheim Palace
Retrospective of Chinese art's enfant terrible opening at Churchill's elegant birthplace
Britain's Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill and the epitome of 17th century Baroque symmetry in architecture and landscaping, is set to be "harmonised" further on China's National Day with the opening of an exhibition of politically charged works by Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei .
The exhibition, "Ai Weiwei at Blenheim Palace", is the inaugural exhibition of an art foundation set up by the descendants of the 20th century British statesman.
The concept of "harmonious society" was a favourite catchphrase of the Chinese leadership under Hu Jintao , but over the years the term "harmonisation" became a euphemism for censorship and the stifling of dissent. It was a concept that was tested to the limits - and beyond - by Ai through his provocative works.
The show will feature more than 50 of Ai's best-known works of the past three decades, making it the largest exhibition of the artist's work in the UK to date.
"Weiwei is one of the most important artists living today. His works have so many dimensions that make him relevant in today's world," Michael Frahm, director of the Blenheim Art Foundation, told the Sunday Post .
"His approach is that art is for everyone, not just a bourgeois thing. He's very much a conceptual artist, but also an architect, a designer ... he touches people on so many different aspects of life."