Cordoaria Nacional in Lisbon announces 2021 exhibition 'Rapture' by Ai Weiwei

20 October 2020

The Cordoaria Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal, has today announced the presentation of the first exhibition in Portugal by Ai Weiwei, to take place from 4 June 2021. 'Rapture', curated by Marcello Dantas, will present some of the artist's most iconic works, as well as original works produced in Portugal that explore the country's traditional artisinal techniques.

The themes running throughout the exhibition derive from the various meanings in English for the word 'rapture': a transcendent moment connecting the bodily and the spiritual dimensions; the hijacking of someone’s rights and freedoms; and the connection between sensory enthusiasm and ecstasy. 'Rapture' will therefore unfold in two sections exploring the ideas of fantasy and reality.

Among the historical works on show will be Snake Ceiling (2009), Circle of Animals (2010) and Law of the Journey (Prototype C) (2016), which consists of a 16 metre-long inflatable boat filled with human figures, referring to one of the most recurring themes in Ai’s practice: the global refugee crisis. In addition to the exhibition, there will be a cycle of documentaries about the life and work of the artist.