Ai Weiwei (Chinese b.1957)

Ai Weiwei (Chinese b.1957)
Kui Hua Zi
2009
hand sculpted and painted porcelain sunflower seeds and glass jar
from the unnumbered edition of 30
overall 16.8 x 10 x 10cm

Note: Kui Hua Zi is a celebrated body of work comprised of hand-crafted porcelain sunflower seeds, originally conceived by Ai Weiwei for the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern in 2010. The monumental installation filled the 1,000-square-metre space with a 10cm layer of meticulously produced seeds, creating a powerful sensory and conceptual experience.

Each porcelain seed was handcrafted in Jingdezhen, China, a town synonymous with centuries of imperial porcelain craftsmanship. The production process involved over thirty distinct stages, including the hand-painting of each individual seed, resulting in millions of subtly unique sculptures.

Sunflower seeds carry deep cultural resonance in China. Under Mao Zedong’s rule, the image of the sunflower bending toward the sun symbolized the Chinese people’s devotion to their leader. Ai Weiwei subverts this iconography, inviting reflection on conformity, anonymity, and state control. Viewed en masse, the individuality of each seed disappears, evoking the loss of personal identity within a collectivist regime.
Simultaneously, sunflower seeds are a humble, beloved snack across China. Historically they have been an accessible pleasure during times of hardship. This duality, the seeds as both political metaphor and symbol of everyday resilience, lies at the heart of the work.

This jar edition offers a miniature yet profound encounter with the body of work. It captures the tension between mass production and individual craftsmanship, between political symbolism and personal identity, providing a contemplative glimpse into the social fabric of modern China.