Did You Know: Ai Weiwei

Did you know?

Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold, 2010

By popular demand, exhibition materials are available on our website.

Please visit: farnsworthmuseum.org/about/resources to download to your computer or mobile device. Thank you for visiting our museum!

Which is Your Chinese Zodiac Animal?

The Chinese Zodiac is a based on a lunar calendar that repeats every twelve years and is represented by twelve animals. Each animal has positive and negative aspects and one must get a reading from an expert to truly understand what the animal means for each individual. In the meantime, it is enjoyable to think about which animal represents you.

RAT:

HORSE:

2008, 1996, 1984, 1972, 1960, 1948, 1936, 1924

2014, 2002, 1990, 1978, 1966, 1954, 1942, 1930

OX:

GOAT:

2009, 1997, 1985, 1973, 1961, 1949, 1937, 1925

2015, 2003, 1991, 1979, 1967, 1955, 1943, 1931

TIGER:

MONKEY:

2010, 1998, 1986, 1974, 1962, 1950, 1938, 1926

2016, 2004, 1992, 1980, 1968,1956, 1944, 1932

RABBIT:

ROOSTER:

2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951, 1939, 1927

2017, 2005, 1993, 1981, 1969, 1957, 1945, 1933

DRAGON:

DOG:

2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952, 1940, 1928

2018, 2006, 1994, 1982, 1970, 1958, 1946, 1934

SNAKE:

PIG:

2013, 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953, 1941, 1929

2019, 2007, 1995, 1983, 1971, 1959, 1947, 1935

Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold , 2010. The exhibition runs through Dec. 30, 2018

Key Events in 1860 Year of the Monkey HISTORY British & French troops defeat 10,000 Chinese people Yuanming Yuan the Qing Dynasty summer palace/pavilion looted and burned Gold and diamonds discovered in South Africa (resurgence of colonialism on the continent) 2nd Opium War ended Abraham Lincoln elected 16th President of the USA South Carolina secedes Union in protest of Lincoln’s Presidency British rule India British (424,000) and Irish (914,000) people emigrate to the United States First Japanese ambassadors to the USA arrive in San Francisco

LITERATURE Scottish author and dramatist J.M Barrie born (Peter Pan) British author Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White, first mystery Russian Author Anton Chekov, born British author, Charles Dickens, publishes first chapter of Great Expectations

PHILOSOPHY Russian Orthodox Church establishes monastery in Jerusalem German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer dies

VISUAL ARTS French artist Edgar Degas, paints Spartan Boys and Girls Exercising French artist Edouard Manet, paints Spanish Guitar Player

Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold , 2010. The exhibition runs through Dec. 30, 2018

Key Events in 1860 (continued) MUSIC German composer Gustav Mahler born First phonoautograph (sound recording) of Claire de la Lune by Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville

SCIENCE Element cesium and rubidium discovered by Bunsen and Kirchhoff The first nursing school based on the ideas of Florence Nightingale opens in London

DAILY LIFE Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the American Girl Scouts, born Jane Addams, American founder of the social worker movement, born Synthetic dyes made magenta, mauve and purple popular colors in women’s fashion Silks, cottons, wool from Asia become popular in fashion in Europe and USA Pony Express from Sacramento, CA to St Louis, MO for postal mail 20,000 shoe workers strike in New England Cork linoleum invented by Frederick Walton Baseball becomes popular in New York and Boston. First recorded game in San Francisco Beginning of skiing as competitive sport First British Open golf championship played in Scotland

Ai Weiwei, Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold , 2010. The exhibition runs through Dec. 30, 2018