Ai Weiwei
Hall Collection
In his work, the artist Ai Weiwei provokes symbols of power inherent to governing structures. From 1995 to 2003, Weiwei photographed himself gesturing his middle finger towards buildings defined by their political influence, including the Basilica San Marco in Venice, the Reichstag in Berlin, the Red Square in Moscow, and Tiananmen Square in Beijing. In Study of Perspective (White House) (1994-1999), made during the Clinton Administration, Weiwei photographed his finger from a far vantage point, illustrating the diminished scale of the presidential building from across the great lawn.