Artist hails Manchester’s ‘amazing’ culture as exhibition begins | Manchester News

An acclaimed artist has hailed Manchester for “achieving something amazing here”, when describing the city’s flagship Aviva Studios.

Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, who has created political sculptures, photographs, and other public works, made the comments as he launched a new exhibition of his work at the venue, which explores themes including global relationships and the consequences of war.

“I’ve never experienced a similar space in my life and that was a challenge, so I studied the history of Manchester, including its role as the world’s first industrial city,” he said.

“I never dreamed I would come to Manchester but this city has openness and ambition when its comes to promoting art and culture. It’s really admirable”