Shanghai Forever Co., Ltd, founded in 1940, established a worldwide reputation for producing the Forever brand traditional bicycle; the most popular bike in China for the past six decades.

Ai Weiwei (艾未未), born in 1957 in Beijing, is a leading Chinese artist, curator, architectural designer, cultural and social commentator and activist.

One might remember Ai from his controversial  position on the 2008 Summer Olympics, as he was the artistic consultant for design, collaborating with the Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, for the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the “Bird’s Nest.” Although ignored by the Chinese media, he voiced his anti-Olympics views often during the project and later distanced himself from it entirely, saying, “I’ve already forgotten about it. I turn down all the demands to have photographs with it, it is part of a pretend smile of bad taste.” In August 2007 he also accused those choreographing the Olympic opening ceremony, including Steven Spielberg and Zhang Yimou, of failing to live up to their responsibility as artists. Ai said, “It’s disgusting. I don’t like anyone who shamelessly abuses their profession, who makes no moral judgment.” While being asked why he participated in the designing of the Bird’s nest, Ai replied, “I did it because I love design.”

Below are images from a series of installations done with Forever brand bicycles, aptly titled “Forever”: