A significant exhibition of works by Ai Weiwei has opened at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington DC.  Four aspects caught my attention:

First, encircling the museum's central fountain are finely crafted bronze sculptures of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac.  If for you art is a matter of technical mastery, surely these confirm Ai Weiwei is a master artist.

Second, in terms of individual pieces, the most recurring "type" are glossy photographs of the artist being artistic over the years. There's a whiff of Andy Warhol - or at least Warholian irony - but that's not all.  There is also a documentary earnestness that suggests how little alike New York circa 1968 is from Beijing in 2008.  Today the gap is even wider than 2008.

Third, in terms of square footage various installations are the exhibition's main event. If whimsical experimentation is your preference these are likely to distract and delight.  I especially like Sichuan Steel Rebar (at right).  The raw steel  unfolds like a blanket.

But this title also signals the artist's role as social conscience. Sichuan province was the epicenter of the 2008 earthquake that killed over 65,000 people.  Ai WeiWei and others have gathered the names of over 5000 children who died when their schools collapsed.  Their work suggests official corruption often resulted in shoddy construction on vulnerable sites.

The exhibition continues to February 24.