181. Ai Weiwei: China, Censorship, and Dissidence Through Art

  • Podcast

  • 23 March 2026

  • Posted by Alastair Campbell

  • 0

Why was Ai Weiwei kidnapped and held prisoner by the Chinese government? How did the 2008 Sichuan earthquake radicalise him into taking aim at the authorities through art? What’s behind Ai Weiwei’s belief that there is a serious censorship issue in the West? 


Rory and Alastair are joined by Artist and Activist, Ai Weiwei, to answer all this and more. 


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Exec Producers: Tony Pastor + Jack Davenport


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