28/05/2026
No need to visit a museum — Amsterdam’s streets are filled with public art by world-renowned artists!
In our ‘Keys to the City’ series, we uncover the stories behind these works. After highlighting Marina Abramović’s installation on Beethovenstraat, this time we turn to Ai Weiwei.
Ai Weiwei (b. 1957) is one of the most influential artists of our time — a conceptual artist, activist, and outspoken critic of authoritarian power.
In Forever, located at Gelderlandplein, Ai transforms the everyday bicycle into a powerful symbol of freedom, movement, and control. Once a common sight across China, the “Forever” bicycle reflects both collective identity and rapid modernisation. Yet the bicycles are locked together, unable to move — a striking commentary on restriction, conformity, and life within regimented systems.
