A peek through the window bars shows the faces of dissidents assembled from Legos on the floor of a prison work factory on Alcatraz.
Ai Weiwei on Alcatraz —
A peek through the window bars shows the faces of dissidents assembled from Legos on the floor of a prison work factory on Alcatraz.
Madison Park/CNN
The faces of international dissidents are laid out in Ai Weiwei's studio in Beijing.
Lego faces —
The faces of international dissidents are laid out in Ai Weiwei's studio in Beijing.
Jan Sturmann, courtesy For-Site Foundation
Ai Weiwei and his team assembled the faces of 176 dissidents using over a million pieces of Legos. This is a close-up of the eyes of Chinese human rights advocate, Liu Xianbin.
Legos up close —
Ai Weiwei and his team assembled the faces of 176 dissidents using over a million pieces of Legos. This is a close-up of the eyes of Chinese human rights advocate, Liu Xianbin.
Madison Park/CNN
Liu Xianbin participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and wrote articles advocating human rights. He is serving a 10-year prison sentence.
Liu Xianbin, assembled from Legos —
Liu Xianbin participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests and wrote articles advocating human rights. He is serving a 10-year prison sentence.
Madison Park/CNN
Ai Weiwei was detained for 81 days in China in 2011 amid a political crackdown. He remains a vocal critic of the Chinese government and is not permitted to leave the country.
Ai Weiwei —
Ai Weiwei was detained for 81 days in China in 2011 amid a political crackdown. He remains a vocal critic of the Chinese government and is not permitted to leave the country.
Jan Sturmann, courtesy For-Site Foundation
Ai Weiwei acknowledges Pussy Riot, in which the punk rock members were convicted of "hooliganism" after performing an anti-Putin song in a cathedral in 2012.
Pussy Riot cell —
Ai Weiwei acknowledges Pussy Riot, in which the punk rock members were convicted of "hooliganism" after performing an anti-Putin song in a cathedral in 2012.
Madison Park/CNN
This installation assembled from Tibetan solar cookers forms a bird's wing to model the tension between freedom and confinement.
Tibetan wing —
This installation assembled from Tibetan solar cookers forms a bird's wing to model the tension between freedom and confinement.
Jan Sturmann, courtesy For-Site Foundation
Visitors are encouraged to write postcards to prisoners of conscience around the world. Ai Weiwei designed the postcards based on the flower and birds of the nation.
Postcards for prisoners —
Visitors are encouraged to write postcards to prisoners of conscience around the world. Ai Weiwei designed the postcards based on the flower and birds of the nation.
Madison Park/CNN
Political prisoners often fear that they and their causes have been forgotten by the outside world. Visitors to Alcatraz are encouraged to write postcards to them.
Writing postcards in Alcatraz dining room —
Political prisoners often fear that they and their causes have been forgotten by the outside world. Visitors to Alcatraz are encouraged to write postcards to them.
Madison Park/CNN
The curator of the exhibit on Alcatraz says the messages ranging from four-year-olds to university professors have been "deeply moving."
Postcards for mail —
The curator of the exhibit on Alcatraz says the messages ranging from four-year-olds to university professors have been "deeply moving."
Madison Park/CNN
Cheryl Haines, the curator for the @Large exhibit, worked with Ai Weiwei to bring the works to Alcatraz, in partnership with National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Cheryl Haines —
Cheryl Haines, the curator for the @Large exhibit, worked with Ai Weiwei to bring the works to Alcatraz, in partnership with National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy.
Madison Park/CNN