AI WEIWEI. IRON ROOT.

• ARTIST.

  Ai Weiwei
  (Chinese, b. 1957)

• TITLE.

  Iron Root

• DATE.

  2020

• MATERIALS.

  Cast iron

• Dimensions.

  86 x 120 x 42 in.
  (218.44 x 304.80 x 106.68 cm)

• Map.

  Southeast corner of North Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Gardens Park

Calling to mind the feeling of being “uprooted.”

On the southeast corner of North Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard, in front of Beverly Hills City Hall, you find Iron Root by famed Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The sculpture lives up to its name, as its form is that of a piece of wood recently severed from a larger tree. Full of knots, holes, and emerging branches, Iron Root is a labyrinth of natural beauty that shows the complexities and intricacies of trees. However, the sculpture is not made of wood but rather rust-covered cast iron. This rust patina gives the sculpture its unique color that reminds viewers of a natural wood color while simultaneously evoking a feeling of being human-made or mechanical.

Behind the Scenes.

Iron Root is part of a larger series that grew from the artist’s travels to Brazil, where he began to cast molds of roots and trunks from endangered trees in the area. Known to be a fierce political activist and a strong advocate for the fight against climate change, Ai Weiwei turned to this subject of trees and roots in recent years as a reminder of the dangers of deforestation and human intervention in the natural world. At the same time, Iron Root and the artist’s other similar works also call to mind the feeling of being “uprooted,” which the artist is intimately familiar with. In fact, he has lived in exile since 2015, leaving China for Germany and, more recently, Portugal.

SPARK A CONVERSATION.

Iron Root replicates the wood from which it is cast. As you circle around the sculpture, look closely at the natural forms of the roots and all their complexities.

• Does the material or color affect Iron Root’s ability to reflect or complement nature?

• Does the exterior setting—as opposed to a gallery, perhaps—affect how you view the natural elements of the work?

Iron Root is on the southeast corner of North Crescent Drive and Santa Monica Boulevard.

Listen to the traffic of Santa Monica Boulevard or the bustle of people around you.

• Does the urban setting help reinforce Ai Weiwei’s intention of stimulating conversation about the environment, climate change, and deforestation?