Skip to content
Ai Wiewei, 'Iron Tree.' Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park image.

Meijer Gardens dedicates ‘Iron Tree’ sculpture by Ai Weiwei


Tom Hoepf
Tom Hoepf
Ai Wiewei, 'Iron Tree.' Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park image.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) – A large iron sculpture by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei that’s designed to prompt thoughts about how different people and cultures come together was dedicated Monday at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in western Michigan.

An event to dedicate Iron Tree as part of events marking Meijer Gardens’ 20th anniversary.

Made of 99 iron pieces, the sculpture looks like a tree without leaves, but oversize stainless steel bolts that hold it together give it a mechanical appearance.

The artist’s work is well-known internationally, but he isn’t allowed to travel outside China. He spent nearly three months in prison in China in 2011 and last year directed the transformation of the former island prison of Alcatraz into a tribute to the world’s political prisoners.

___

Online: http://www.meijergardens.org

Copyright 2015 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WF-04-20-15 1158GMT