Ai Weiwei Recreates His Secret Detention in New 24-Hour Performance at Aviva Studios
Marking fifteen years since his secret detention, Ai Weiwei's 'Sewing a Button' transforms his imprisonment into a 24-hour live performance at Manchester's Aviva Studios, accompanied by a major exhibition and a programme of public events.
Artist and activist Ai Weiwei will present his first durational live performance this July, recreating the conditions of his secret detention in China to mark the fifteenth anniversary of the 81 days he spent in custody in 2011. Titled Sewing a Button, the 24-hour work will take place at Aviva Studios in Manchester from 3 to 4 July 2026, inviting audiences to witness a deeply personal chapter of the artist's life unfold in real time.
Co-created by Ai Weiwei and Low Kee Hong, Creative Director of Factory International, the performance reconstructs the prison cell in which the artist was held following his arrest by Chinese authorities. Designed by architectural practice Hawkins\Brown, the installation measures 7.2 by 3.6 metres and will occupy the Hall at Aviva Studios, where visitors can observe the artist continuously over the course of a full day and night.
Beginning at 5pm on 3 July, audiences may attend in two-hour sessions or purchase a ticket for the full 24-hour experience. Throughout the performance, Ai Weiwei will reenact the routines that defined his detention, including sleeping, eating, exercising, writing, washing and undergoing interrogation. It is the first time the artist has revisited this experience through live performance, offering a new perspective on a period that has informed much of his subsequent work.
Although Ai Weiwei has previously explored his imprisonment through works such as S.A.C.R.E.D. (2011-13) and the film Dumbass (2013), Sewing a Button promises to reveal details and moments that have never before been publicly presented.
"The first live performance that Ai Weiwei has given about his secret detention in 2011," says Low Kee Hong. "Although he has referenced this period in previous works, including S.A.C.R.E.D. and Dumbass, this live performance will provide additional insights and scenarios from his time in prison that are not documented elsewhere. The contribution of the collaborators announced today will give audiences greater insight into Ai Weiwei as an artist, activist and person."
Interrogation forms a central part of the performance. Rather than actors, the questioning will be conducted by four prominent journalists and broadcasters: Nihal Arthanayake, Emma Dabiri, Lemn Sissay and Zing Tsjeng. Each brings extensive experience interviewing political leaders and cultural figures, offering distinct approaches as conversations move between personal reflection, political discourse and philosophical enquiry. A cast of nine actors portraying military guards and doctors will complete the immersive recreation.
The experience extends beyond those physically present in the gallery. Three CCTV cameras positioned within the recreated cell will mirror the constant surveillance that characterised Ai Weiwei's imprisonment. Live footage will be displayed on screens throughout Aviva Studios and streamed via the Factory International website, allowing audiences worldwide to observe the performance. International screenings are also planned at ACMI in Australia, ARTHAUS in Argentina and CIRCA in London.
Manchester and Berlin-based electronic duo Space Afrika have composed an original soundscape for the work and will perform a live mixing session during the 24-hour performance, adding another layer to the immersive environment.
Sewing a Button forms part of Ai Weiwei: Button Up!, the artist's largest site-specific exhibition to date. Opening at Aviva Studios on 2 July and continuing until 6 September 2026, the exhibition will occupy the Warehouse galleries and, for the first time, remain open around the clock during the performance, allowing visitors to experience both projects together.
Visitors attending the overnight performance will also be able to participate in a series of free activities taking place across Aviva Studios' public spaces. A traditional Chinese tea house will remain open throughout the event, creating opportunities for reflection and conversation alongside the performance.
Factory International, the organisation behind Aviva Studios and the Manchester International Festival, has established a reputation for commissioning ambitious new work across visual art, performance and music. Designed by the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), Aviva Studios provides a flexible setting for large-scale interdisciplinary projects, making it a fitting venue for one of Ai Weiwei's most personal and uncompromising works.
Sewing a Button takes place from 5pm on 3 July until 5pm on 4 July 2026 at Aviva Studios in Manchester. Tickets start at £15, while a limited number of £10 concession tickets and 24-hour passes are also available.
Alongside the performance, Ai Weiwei: Button Up! will be on view at Aviva Studios from 2 July to 6 September 2026. The exhibition will remain open continuously during the 24-hour performance, and visitors can also take part in a programme of free talks, workshops and public activities throughout the exhibition's run.
