Factory International

@factory_international

3 months ago

Co-Author

@aiww

Ai Weiwei is coming to Manchester...History, power and empire collide in Button Up! - a major new exhibition arriving in Manchester this summer from the world-leading artist and activist Ai Weiwei (@aiww).Commissioned and produced by Factory International (@factory_international), Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is the artist’s most expansive presentation in the north of the UK to date, with Ai Weiwei turning his critical gaze to the last 200 years of global history.Taking inspiration from Manchester, a city at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, Button Up! explores how historic systems of trade, empire and exploitation resonate in today’s humanitarian and political crises.Bringing together new and existing large-scale works on display in the UK for the first time, Button Up! takes over the Warehouse space at Aviva Studios this summer.“I’m not interested in making very big things just for the sake of it. But in Manchester, that wonderful Warehouse space calls for monumental work."- Ai Weiwei 2 July - 6 September 2026 Aviva Studios, home of Factory International | Manchester, UK ️ Early bird offer - book for the first two weeks of the exhibition and get discounted tickets from £15 Book now by clicking the link in Factory International's bio. ️ Billboards by BUILDHOLLYWOOD (@buildhollywood) Photography by Joe Smith (@joeolismith)

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Ai Weiwei is coming to Manchester...
History, power and empire collide in Button Up! - a major new exhibition arriving in Manchester this summer from the world-leading artist and activist Ai Weiwei (@aiww ).
Commissioned and produced by Factory International (@factory_international ), Ai Weiwei: Button Up! is the artist’s most expansive presentation in the north of the UK to date, with Ai Weiwei turning his critical gaze to the last 200 years of global history.
Taking inspiration from Manchester, a city at the heart of the Industrial Revolution, Button Up! explores how historic systems of trade, empire and exploitation resonate in today’s humanitarian and political crises.
Bringing together new and existing large-scale works on display in the UK for the first time, Button Up! takes over the Warehouse space at Aviva Studios this summer.
“I’m not interested in making very big things just for the sake of it. But in Manchester, that wonderful Warehouse space calls for monumental work."
- Ai Weiwei
📆 2 July - 6 September 2026
📍 Aviva Studios, home of Factory International | Manchester, UK
🎟️ Early bird offer - book for the first two weeks of the exhibition and get discounted tickets from £15
🔗 Book now by clicking the link in Factory International's bio.
🖼️ Billboards by BUILDHOLLYWOOD (@buildhollywood )
📸 Photography by Joe Smith (@joeolismith )

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