The Black Cover Book

1981–1993

Discovers Duchamp, Warhol and Johns

In the United States Ai came to know the work of Marcel Duchamp, Andy Warhol and Jasper Johns and began making conceptual art by altering readymade objects.

1981–1993

Friendship with Allen Ginsberg

In New York Ai met the Beat poet Allen Ginsberg by chance at a poetry reading where Ginsberg read poems about China. Ginsberg had travelled to China and met Ai’s father, the poet Ai Qing, and so the two became friends.

1983–1993

Street portraits, odd jobs and blackjack

After dropping out of school Ai made a living drawing street portraits and doing odd jobs. At the same time he became fascinated by blackjack and often visited the casinos of Atlantic City.

1993

Returns to China because of his father’s illness

In 1993, after twelve years in the United States, Ai returned to China because his father had fallen ill.

1994

Founds the “China Art Archives and Warehouse”

In Beijing Ai founded the China Art Archives and Warehouse and became its director.

1994–1997

Three books on a new generation of artists

With the curator Feng Boyi, Ai published three books on a new generation of Chinese artists: the Black Cover Book (1994), the White Cover Book (1995) and the Gray Cover Book (1997). He also helped establish the Beijing East Village, a community of experimental artists.