Beijing: The Third Ring

The video works Beijing: The Second Ring and Beijing: The Third Ring document the two opposite views of traffic flow on 33, respectively 55 bridges along the Second and Third Ring Roads in Beijing. Ai Weiwei recorded a single frame for one minute in each direction on every bridge. Beijing: The Second Ring is made up of 66 segments which were shot on cloudy days. Beijing: The Third Ring is made up of 110 segments and was shot only on sunny days. The Ring Roads are important urban structural elements in Beijing. These circular roads govern the whole spatial organization of the city’s urban fabric. Like in Chang’an Boulevard, the act of recording is minimal – instead the focus lies on the process of observation and letting time take its course. The film methodically documents the never-ending flow of traffic, the development of the modern city and the urban reality that defines Beijing today.

Tessa Praun, Curator, January 2012