Ai Weiwei Designs Gold Zodiac Charms To Usher In The Lunar New Year
Images via TASCHEN
Ai Weiwei and TASCHEN have brought a slice of ancient Chinese tradition to the contemporary art scene through exquisite fine art jewelry. Drawing on his notable 2010 Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads sculpture, the artist delves deeper into Chinese mythology’s rich tapestry, crafting a series of charms that are not only wearable art pieces but also emblems of cultural narratives spanning centuries.
Embodying the personal and historical significance of the Chinese zodiac, the Zodiac Charms have been meticulously hand-cast in 999 pure gold, and are based on the animal figures of Ai’s earlier work.
Image via TASCHEN
Each charm bears an animal sign in ancient Chinese calligraphy on its reverse, paying homage to the zodiac’s mythological race and the time-ordering 12 Earthly Branches.
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
This collection alludes to the story of the Great Race, a legendary account that determined the order of the Chinese zodiac animals. The rat’s cleverness and agility, symbolized by its ability to ride the ox across a turbulent river, secured its place as the first in the zodiac, ruling the midnight hour.
Each animal, in turn, presides over a lunar year—starting with the Rat, followed by the Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Ram, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig—and imparts its unique traits to those born within its reign, shaping the ancient practice of Chinese astrology. In a nod to history, Ai resurrected the zodiac figures from an 18th-century fountain in Beijing’s Old Summer Palace for his 2010 sculpture.
Limited to just 48 pieces, the complete necklace—the pinnacle of the lineup—features all 12 zodiac signs and is a statement of cultural remembrance and artistic innovation, signed by Ai Weiwei himself, and priced at US$36,000.
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Each pendant bears the name of the animal sign in Chinese small seal script on its reverse, a nod to ancient calligraphy that dates back to around 220 BCE.
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Individual charms are presented with a red silk string, each limited to 99 copies, retailing at US$2,950, while a non-limited version with a gold chain will be available for US$1,500 as well.
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Image via TASCHEN
Preorders for the precious pieces are now open through TASCHEN’s website, inviting art enthusiasts and collectors to wear a piece of history crafted by one of the most provocative artists of our time.
Image via TASCHEN
The full chain necklace is set to be released on December 18, and the individual charms with red silk will be available from December 14. Meanwhile, the gold chain version is slated for release on February 13, 2024.
Image via TASCHEN
[via TASCHEN]
This article was crafted with assistance from an AI engine, and has been manually reviewed & edited.
