Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Ai Weiwei's <em>Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads</em> Are Coming To New York
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 14, 2011
Modified Mar 14, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Gothamist
View all 4
By
Jen Chung
Published Mar 14, 2011
Modified Mar 14, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Contemporary Chinese artist Ai Weiwei is making his public art debut with an installation of Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads right outside Central Park, across from the Plaza Hotel at Grand Army Plaza 5th Avenue and 60th Street. Mayor Bloomberg announced the plan for the huge, bronze sculptures last week, “It is innovative and thought-provoking exhibits like Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads that keep New York one of the world’s great places to live, work and visit. And as we continue to showcase the best art exhibits and attractions, we maintain our status as the cultural capital of the world. We are honored that New York is host to this monumental work by Ai Weiwei, before it travels the rest of the globe."
The piece, which, a press release tells us, was "inspired by the fabled fountain-clock of the Yuanming Yuan, an 18th-century imperial retreat just outside Beijing," is made up of twelve cast bronze heads, which stand on bronze bases. The heads are 800 pounds each and are about 4 feet high by 3 feet wide; the head and base are about 10 feet high.
Ai Weiwei said in a statement, “My work is always dealing with real or fake, authenticity and value and how value relates to current political and social understandings and misunderstandings. However, because Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads is composed of animal heads, it’s a work that everyone can understand, including children and people who are not in the art world. I think it’s more important to show your work to the public. That’s what I really care about.”
If you're heading to London—or have been there recently—you may have seen Ai's huge Sunflower Seeds installation at the Tate Modern. The millions of seeds look like real sunflower seeds, but they are actually individually handcrafted porcelain "seeds." And in spite of concerns over whether the dust emitting from the "seeds" is dangerous, some of the work's seeds were sold at auction for $560,000.
Tagged
ai weiwei
art
bronze
circle of animals
gallery
installation
public art
zodiac heads
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
In the algorithm age, NYC college radio DJs are still broadcasting the funky stuff
We dropped by WNYU to see what the next generation of radio DJs is up to. The answer is "Br00tal Beats To Study/Relax To."
By
James Ramsay
Published Oct 22, 2026 at 11:18 a.m. ET
A Queens prop shop shutters, bunnies find a home uptown, and more openings and closings
Highlights of shifts in the city's business landscape.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
A Queens prop shop shutters, bunnies find a home uptown, and more openings and closings
Highlights of shifts in the city's business landscape.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A new film invites you to eavesdrop on one of the greatest conversations in NYC history
By
Sonia Rao
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
By
Sonia Rao
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .