Ai Weiwei, with his personal life in constant flux, remains a cultural magnet. Known for his political activism and social media presence, as well as his contemporary approach to utilitarian art and his knowledge of traditional Chinese arts, his fame transcends the art world. The book, originating from TASCHEN's limited Collector’s Edition, explores every phase of Ai's career up to his release from Chinese detention. It includes extensive visual material that tracks his development from his early days in New York to his recent practices. Significant highlights include his international acclaim in the mid-2000s, the porcelain Sunflower Seeds in the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall, his response to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and his police detention in 2011. Through images from the studio, production photos, and numerous statements from exclusive interviews with Ai, we gain privileged access to the artist’s process, influences, and significance. The book features texts by Uli Sigg, a longtime friend of Ai and former ambassador of Switzerland to China, as well as by Roger M. Buergel, who curated the 2007 documenta and presented the artist's work Fairytale.