ARTIST
Ai Weiwei
1957 - Today
Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei ( EYE way-WAY; Chinese: 艾未未; pinyin: Ài Wèiwèi, IPA: [âɪ wêɪ.wêɪ]; born 28 August 1957) is a Chinese contemporary artist, documentarian, and activist. Ai grew up in the far northwest of China, where he lived under harsh conditions due to his father's exile. As an activist, he has been openly critical of the Chinese Government's stance on democracy and human rights. He investigated government corruption and cover-ups, in particular the Sichuan schools corruption scandal following the collapse of "tofu-dreg schools" in the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. Read more on Wikipedia
Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Ai Weiwei has received more than 3,475,035 page views. His biography is available in 53 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 50 in 2019). Ai Weiwei is the 26th most popular artist (up from 30th in 2019), the 285th most popular biography from China (up from 287th in 2019) and the most popular Chinese Artist.
Ai Weiwei is most famous for his work as an artist, architect, and social activist. He has been a vocal critic of the Chinese government and has been detained for his activism.
Memorability Metrics
3.5M
Page Views (PV)
66.98
Historical Popularity Index (HPI)
53
Languages Editions (L)
7.17
Effective Languages (L*)
3.58
Coefficient of Variation (CV)
Among ARTISTS
Among artists, Ai Weiwei ranks 26 out of 125. Before him are Kurt Schwitters, Adolph Menzel, Keith Haring, Josef Albers, David Hockney, and Banksy. After him are Émile Gallé, Edward Burne-Jones, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Ulay, Akira Yoshizawa, and Bernt Notke.
Most Popular Artists in Wikipedia
Go to all Rankings
Kurt Schwitters
1887 - 1948
HPI: 68.85
Rank: 20
Adolph Menzel
1815 - 1905
HPI: 68.24
Rank: 21
Keith Haring
1958 - 1990
HPI: 68.22
Rank: 22
Josef Albers
1888 - 1976
HPI: 67.80
Rank: 23
David Hockney
1937 - Present
HPI: 67.50
Rank: 24
Banksy
1970 - Present
HPI: 67.22
Rank: 25
Ai Weiwei
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 26
Émile Gallé
1846 - 1904
HPI: 66.80
Rank: 27
Edward Burne-Jones
1833 - 1898
HPI: 65.89
Rank: 28
Jean-Michel Basquiat
1960 - 1988
HPI: 65.84
Rank: 29
Ulay
1943 - 2020
HPI: 65.77
Rank: 30
Akira Yoshizawa
1911 - 2005
HPI: 65.64
Rank: 31
Bernt Notke
1435 - 1509
HPI: 64.95
Rank: 32
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1957, Ai Weiwei ranks 30. Before him are Melanie Griffith, Richard E. Grant, Stefan Löfven, Caroline, Princess of Hanover, Dr. Alban, and Paul Kagame. After him are Rinat Dasayev, Kelly McGillis, Theo van Gogh, Rumiko Takahashi, Luis Garavito, and Michael Madsen.
Others Born in 1957
Go to all RankingsMelanie Griffith
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 24
Richard E. Grant
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 68.09
Rank: 25
Stefan Löfven
POLITICIAN
1957 - Present
HPI: 67.82
Rank: 26
Caroline, Princess of Hanover
NOBLEMAN
1957 - Present
HPI: 67.80
Rank: 27
Dr. Alban
MUSICIAN
1957 - Present
HPI: 67.38
Rank: 28
Paul Kagame
POLITICIAN
1957 - Present
HPI: 67.25
Rank: 29
Ai Weiwei
ARTIST
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 30
Rinat Dasayev
SOCCER PLAYER
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.84
Rank: 31
Kelly McGillis
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.83
Rank: 32
Theo van Gogh
FILM DIRECTOR
1957 - 2004
HPI: 66.68
Rank: 33
Rumiko Takahashi
COMIC ARTIST
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.21
Rank: 34
Luis Garavito
EXTREMIST
1957 - 2023
HPI: 65.96
Rank: 35
Michael Madsen
ACTOR
1957 - Present
HPI: 65.66
Rank: 36
In China
Among people born in China, Ai Weiwei ranks 285 out of 1,610. Before him are Sima Shi (208), Ye Jianying (1897), Gong Li (1965), Xun Yu (163), Wu Zixu (-526), and Lu Ban (-507). After him are Emperor Xiaozong of Song (1127), Xu Huang (169), He Jin (135), Cai Yan (177), Mao Anying (1922), and Dong Biwu (1886).
Others born in China
Go to all RankingsSima Shi
POLITICIAN
208 - Present
HPI: 67.11
Rank: 279
Ye Jianying
POLITICIAN
1897 - 1986
HPI: 67.05
Rank: 280
Gong Li
ACTOR
1965 - Present
HPI: 67.04
Rank: 281
Xun Yu
POLITICIAN
163 - 212
HPI: 67.03
Rank: 282
Wu Zixu
POLITICIAN
526 BC - 483 BC
HPI: 67.01
Rank: 283
Lu Ban
ENGINEER
507 BC - 440 BC
HPI: 66.99
Rank: 284
Ai Weiwei
ARTIST
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 285
Emperor Xiaozong of Song
POLITICIAN
1127 - 1194
HPI: 66.94
Rank: 286
Xu Huang
MILITARY PERSONNEL
169 - 227
HPI: 66.87
Rank: 287
He Jin
MILITARY PERSONNEL
135 - 189
HPI: 66.87
Rank: 288
Cai Yan
WRITER
177 - 250
HPI: 66.83
Rank: 289
Mao Anying
POLITICIAN
1922 - 1950
HPI: 66.82
Rank: 290
Dong Biwu
POLITICIAN
1886 - 1975
HPI: 66.82
Rank: 291
Among ARTISTS In China
Among artists born in China, Ai Weiwei ranks 1. After him are Hu Zhengyan (1584), Wang Xianzhi (344), and Tyrus Wong (1910).
Ai Weiwei
1957 - Present
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 1
Hu Zhengyan
1584 - 1674
HPI: 60.36
Rank: 2
Wang Xianzhi
344 - 386
HPI: 58.34
Rank: 3
Tyrus Wong
1910 - 2016
HPI: 49.43
Rank: 4
