Portrait of the artist as a young man

Ai Weiwei's series of New York Photographs (1983-1993) is on show for the first time outside of China at the Asia Society Museum in New York (until 14 August). The series records Ai Weiwei's time spent living among the expatriate Chinese community in New York's East Village from 1983 to 1993.

Over 200 photographs selected by Ai Weiwei from his 10,000-strong collection will be on display. Taken before he became the internationally renowned artist and activist he is today they show burgeoning artists at work, protests and riots and self portraits captured amid the busy city. 

'These photographs are a poignant and powerful chronicle of Ai's artistic vision and emerging political consciousness during his time in New York' says the Asia Society Museum Director, Melissa Chiu.

The East Village was undergoing rapid transformation during Ai Weiwei’s stay there and the Tompkins Square Riot of 1988, in which resident drug dealers and homeless people clashed with police, is credited with having a major effect on the artist’s later politicisation.