Beijing: The Second Ring & The Third Ring by Ai Weiwei

Screening runs from 11AM-8PM.

Beijing: The Second Ring is a document of the two opposite views of traffic flow on 33 bridges along Beijing’s Second Ring. The artist records a single frame for one minute for each view on the bridge. The entire piece is made up of 66 segments, entirely shot on cloudy days. The Rings—or traffic loops— are important urban structural elements of Beijing. The circular rings govern the whole spatial organization of the city’s urban fabric. Like the Chang’an Boulevard piece, the act of recording is minimal, focusing on the process of pure observation and the nature of time. The film documents the historic aspects of the city, modern development, its nearly 13 million people, mass transport, and the urban reality that defines Beijing. (2005, Video, 1 h 6 min)

Beijing: The Third Ring is a document of the two opposite views of traffic flow on 55 bridges along Beijing’s Third Ring. The entire piece is made up of 110 segments. As opposed to Beijing: The Second Ring, which was entirely shot on cloudy days, the segments or this film were shot on sunny days. (2005, Video, 1 h 50 min)

The Hammer presents three days of documentaries about and by China’s most famous international artist and its most outspoken domestic critic—Ai Weiwei. Ai’s detainment for three months in a secret detention center sparked a global outcry from human rights activists and the art world. 

Never Sorry
Monday, September 24, 7:30PM

Chang’an Boulevard
Tuesday, September 25, 11:00AM-8:00PM

Disturbing the Peace
Tuesday, September 25, 7:30PM

Beijing The Second Ring & The Third Ring
Wednesday, September 26, 11:00AM-8:00PM

One Recluse
Wednesday, September 26, 7:30PM