Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street WestPhoto © City of Toronto

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013
Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West
Photo © City of Toronto

Remember the ''Forever Bicycles'' structure made of 1000 bicycles piled in layers inside the Taipei Fine Arts Museum during world-renowned Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei's ABSENT exhibition in October 2011? Two years on, Ai Weiwei has gone on to create an even bigger three-dimensional structure made of 3,144 interconnected bicycles. Forming a complex labyrinth-like monument, this is the artist’s reflection of his perception of the rapid pace of society both in China and around the world.  On public view from 7 till 27 of October 2013 on Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square, Weiwei’s artwork will feature as one of the contemporary art projects presented during the annual Scotiabank Nuit Blanche festival.

For those of you who won't have the opportunity to see it live, the City of Toronto has commissioned cinematographer and time-lapse photographer Ryan Emond to capture this colossal structure during its construction. Watch it come alive from the ground up - to its final height of 30 feet, in less than four minutes!

Ai Weiwei Forever Bicycles Toronto 2013 // Ryan Emond

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street WestPhoto © City of Toronto

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013
Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen Street West
Photo © City of Toronto

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013Video screenshot © Ryan Emond.

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2013
Video screenshot © Ryan Emond.

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2011Beijing, China // Sculpture photo © Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2011
Beijing, China // Sculpture
photo © Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2011Beijing, China // Sculpture photo © Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Ai Weiwei, Forever Bicycles, 2011
Beijing, China // Sculpture
photo © Taipei Fine Arts Museum

Ai Weiwei's 3.144 Bicycles On Toronto's Nathan Phillips Square

1 of