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Press Room

Press Coverage: @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz

About @Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz

Devin Katayama, “What Ai Weiwei’s New Passport Means for the Artist’s Career,” KQED, July 24, 2015. Listen online or download PDF

Katie McMurran, “Art and Activism Collide on Alcatraz Island,” KPCC, April 3, 2015. Listen online

Lee Romney, “In Ai Weiwei Show at Alcatraz, Tourism and Human Rights Go Hand in Hand,” Los Angeles Times, April 22, 2015. Read online or download PDF

Jane Ingram Allen, “Review: @Large Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz,” Sculpture, April 2015. Download PDF

Home & Design Trends, Vol. 2 No. 9 2015. Download PDF

Henri Neuendorf, “Ai Weiwei Urges Visitors to Alcatraz Exhibition to Write to Political Prisoners,” Artnet, February 26, 2015. Read online or download PDF

Julia Halperin, “Thousands Write to Prison Pen Pals Through Alcatraz Art Installation,” The Art Newspaper, February 24, 2015. Read online or download PDF

Annie Buckley, “Critics Picks: Ai Weiwei,” Artforum, February 5, 2015. Read online or download PDF

Carla Escoda, “The Artist is Absent: Ai Weiwei @Large on Alcatraz,” Huffington Post, January 15, 2015. Read online

Robert Atkins, Art in America, January 2015. Download PDF

Christian Frock, KPFA.org’s APEX Express, November 20, 2014. Listen online

Jon Carroll, “Some Things Need Remembering; Come to Alcatraz,” SF Gate, November 19, 2014. Read online or download PDF

“Ai Weiwei’s Newest Collection Turns Alcatraz into a Statement on Freedom,” Fusion’s America with Jorge Ramos, November 13, 2014. Watch online

“How Alcatraz Became a Canvas for Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei,” KQED’s Forum, October 22, 2014. Listen online

Madison Park, “On Alcatraz, Ai Weiwei Raises a Voice on Dissent,” CNN, October 22, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Shane Bauer, “Dragons, Legos, and Solitary: Ai Weiwei’s Transformative Alcatraz Exhibition,” Mother Jones, October 11, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Lee Rosenbaum, “‘Don’t Retreat. Retweet’: My Twitter Tour of Ai Weiwei’s Installation at Alcatraz,” CultureGrrl, October 10, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Carol Strickland, “Ai Weiwei Breaks Into Alcatraz,” Art in America, October 9, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Mina Kim, “Artist Ai Weiwei Explores Definition of Freedom at Alcatraz,” PBS Newshour, October 8, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Sandhya Dirks, “A Chinese Artist Transforms Alcatraz Into a Lego-Carpeted Political Statement,” PRI’s The World, October 2, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Christina Larson, “Escape to Alcatraz,” Smithsonian, October 2014. Read online or download PDF

Stav Ziv, “Ai Weiwei’s @Large Exhibit Opens at Alcatraz,” Newsweek, September 27, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Caille Millner, “Ai Weiwei Exhibition Is More Than a ‘Big Event,’ ” San Francisco Chronicle, September 27, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Mina Kim, “Confined in China, Ai Weiwei Directs Alcatraz Exhibit from Afar,” Morning Edition, September 27, 2014. Listen online

Christopher Knight, “‘@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz’ a Powerful Meditation on Repression,” Los Angeles Times, September 26, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Sara Johnson, “Ai Weiwei Designs Exhibition for Alcatraz,” Architects, September 26, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Christian L. Frock, “Postcard from the Rock: A Review of Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz,” KQED Arts, September 26, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Melissa Chan, “Ai Weiwei’s Art Activism on Alcatraz (AJ+ Asks),” Al Jazeera America, September 26, 2014. Watch online.

Monika Auger, “Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Brings Exhibit to Alcatraz,” Wall Street Journal, September 26, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Katy Steinmetz, “@Large: Inside Ai Weiwei’s Unprecedented Exhibit on Alcatraz,” Time, September 25, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Whitney Phaneuf, “Ai Weiwei’s Songs of Freedom on Alcatraz,” Hyperallergic, September 25, 2014. Read online

Jason Farago, “@Large: Ai Weiwei Takes Over Alcatraz with Lego Carpets and a Hippie Dragon,” Guardian, September 24, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Kenneth Baker, “Ai Weiwei Installation on Alcatraz: No Breakout,” San Francisco Chronicle, September 23, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Jori Finkel, “Art Man of Alcatraz: Ai Weiwei Takes His Work to Prison,” New York Times, September 18, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Sam Whiting, “Chinese Dissident Artist Ai Weiwei Hits Alcatraz,” San Francisco Chronicle, September 18, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Avital Andrews, “Alcatraz to Host Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei’s Exhibit,” Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Emily Wilson, “Alcatraz Will Become an Art Gallery: Ai Weiwei Exhibit,” SFWeekly, September 15, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Christian L. Frock, “No Man Is an Island: Ai Weiwei’s Life and Art Before Alcatraz,” KQED Arts, September 15, 2014. Read online or download PDF

David Ng, ” ‘@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz’ to Explore Artistic Liberty and More,” Los Angeles Times, September 12, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Barbara Pollack, “Cell Block Ai,” ARTnews, September 2014. Download PDF

“Prison Break,” W, September 2014. Download PDF

“Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz,” San Francisco Cottages and Gardens, September 2014. Download PDF

Sara Johnson, “Ai Weiwei Designing Installations for Alcatraz,” Architect, June 12, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Jason Rehel, “Ai Weiwei Exhibit Headed to Alcatraz While New York Banker Plans Museum Dedicated to the Chinese Dissident Artist,” National Post, May 15, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Jacob Kastrenakes, “Ai Weiwei Exhibition Coming to Alcatraz’s Off-Limit Areas,” The Verge, May 14, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Susan Cheng, “Finally, Details about Ai Weiwei’s ‘@Large’ Exhibition on Alcatraz Island Have Been Released,” Complex, May 14, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Cyrus Musiker, “Alcatraz Tickets Expected to Become Scarce During Ai Weiwei Installation,” KQED Arts, May 13, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Sam Whiting, “‘@Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz’ Tickets Go on Sale June 27,” SFGate, May 13, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Andrew Dalton, “Ai Weiwei’s Exhibition ‘@Large’ Opens September 27th,” SFist, May 13, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Leigh Anne Miller, “Get Your Tickets to Ai Weiwei’s Alcatraz,” Art in America, May 13, 2014. Read online or download PDF

Allison Meier, “Art Movements,” Hyperallergic, December 6, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Sam Whiting, “Ai Weiwei Alcatraz Installation Finalized,” San Francisco Chronicle, December 5, 2013. Read online or download PDF

“Ai Weiwei to Take Over Alcatraz in 2014,” Artobserved, December 5, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Jason Diamond, “How Ai Weiwei’s Alcatraz Project Changes the Meaning of Prisons as Public Art Sites,” Flavorwire, December 4, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Jori Finkel, “Chinese Dissident Ai Weiwei to Take His Art to Alcatraz,” International Herald Tribune, December 4, 2013. Read online

“Ai Weiwei to Display New Works at Alcatraz,” Artinfo, December 4, 2013. Read online or download PDF

“Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Commissioned to Create New Site-Specific Works on Alcatraz Island,” artdaily.org, December 4, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Andrew Dalton, “Ai Weiwei Talks Alcatraz Exhibition,” SFist, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Jori Finkel, “Chinese Dissident Ai Weiwei to Take His Art to Alcatraz,” New York Times, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

David Ng, “Ai Weiwei to Create Art Installations for Alcatraz,” Los Angeles Times, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Delia Paunescu, “Ai Weiwei Will Do a Show at Alcatraz,” Vulture, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Leigh Silver, “Ai Weiwei Is Officially Staging an Exhibition at Alcatraz Island,” Complex, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Benjamin Sutton, “Ai Weiwei Taking Over Alcatraz in 2014,” Artinfo, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

Sam Whiting, “Chinese Activist/Artist Weiwei to Create Installation on Alcatraz,” SFGate, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

“TED News in Brief: The (real) secret to a great infographic, Ai Weiwei at Alcatraz, and more,” TED, December 3, 2013. Read online or download PDF

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Sanctuary Salon (January 26, 2018)

Sanctuary Salon (January 26, 2018)

Echoing the ethos of plurality embodied within FOR-SITE's exhibition "Sanctuary," the "Sanctuary Salon" series weaves together the voices of artists whose ...

Sanctuary Salon (December 14, 2017)

Sanctuary Salon (December 14, 2017)

Echoing the ethos of plurality embodied within FOR-SITE's exhibition "Sanctuary," the "Sanctuary Salon" series weaves together the voices of artists whose ...

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  • It's a full house (er, Chapel) tonight for FOR-SITE's first #Sanctuary Salon https://t.co/ABOANPBfeV
  • Happening now: Free #silkscreening workshops with #SanctuaryPrintShop outside #Sanctuary @FortMasoninSF Chapel https://t.co/4BGs628mct

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  • Continuing this week’s look through FOR-SITE’s past 15 years, today we’re visiting 2014 when we transformed Alcatraz Island with the monumental works of one of the greatest artists of our time, @aiww. Nearly 900,000 people experienced “@ Large: Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz,” and over 7,000 tickets were distributed to underserved schools and community groups. The exhibition became a watershed moment for FOR-SITE, guiding us toward an ethos of social engagement that continues to shape our projects and exhibitions. __ Partnerships have always been a cornerstone of FOR-SITE’s work. Indeed, “@ Large” was a tremendous undertaking for us, and we couldn’t have done it without the support and collaboration of our project partners @nationalparkservice and @Parks4All. The exhibition also relied heavily on volunteer support. @aiww’s iconic “Trace” installation was assembled largely through the work of volunteers — 82 in all! And finally, to make the exhibition truly come to life, we turned to a dedicated corps of Art Guides. If you visited the exhibition, chances are your experience of it was made all the richer by their insights and thoughtful engagement. __ Help FOR-SITE as we prepare for another 15 years of presenting boundary-pushing #ArtAboutPlace by making a donation today. Follow the link in our profile to make an online donation.
  • Today we’re heading all the way back to FOR-SITE’s origins up in Nevada City on our 50-acre residency site. The residency program ran from 2005 - 2009, and saw FOR-SITE collaborating with a range of institutional partners to select artists and present the work created during the residencies. Included here are images from @Corneliaparkerartist’s “Anti-Mass” exhibited at @ybca from her 2005 residency; Shi Guorui’s exhibition “Reproduction and Refashioning” at @deyoungmuseum created during his 2006 residency; and @markdionstudio’s “The Marvelous Museum” at @oaklandmuseumca that the artist developed as part of his 2009 residency. __ More information about these and other FOR-STIE residency projects is available via the link in our profile.
  • This week we’re hopscotching through FOR-SITE’s history to highlight some of our favorite moments of our past 15 years. Although we were founded in 2003, we’re kicking things off with a visit to 2008 and the installation of #AndyGoldsworthy’s “Spire” in @presidiosf. Beloved by the Bay Area community, “Spire,” became a hallmark of FOR-SITE’s work to highlight the unique history of our parklands. __ When “Spire” was first installed, the reforested trees around it were barely more than saplings. A decade later, almost half the height of “Spire”’s 90ft are obscured by the trees. Eventually, the whole of “Spire” will be hidden within a mature forest of trees — no longer a visible landmark on our landscape, but a beautiful monument of its history. __ If you’ve enjoyed FOR-SITE projects such as “Spire,” consider making a year-end donation to help support our future exhibitions. Follow the link in our profile to make an online donation. __ #ArtAboutPlace
  • 2018 marks FOR-SITE’s 15th anniversary! From our founding in 2003 hosting artist residencies in Nevada City to the large-scale public art exhibitions that followed, FOR-SITE has consistently pushed the boundaries of “art about place.” Help us celebrate and get us ready for the next 15 years by making a donation this #GivingTuesday. To make a gift online, visit the link in our profile. As a thank you for your support, we’d love for you to stop by our office and select a commemorative FOR-SITE item from our archives, including Ai Weiwei books and exhibition swag, “Sanctuary” socks and catalogues, and more. Lastly, don’t forget to stay tuned throughout the week for posts sharing some of our favorite moments from the past 15 years! #ArtAboutPlace

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  • Allison Stone talks Art in the Presidio

  • Art in the Parks and “Home Land Security”: A Partner’s Perspective

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