The renowned artist and activist Ai Weiwei and Israeli architect Eyal Weizman will attend CPH:DOX 2025 to “help shine a light on this year’s major festival theme: rights,” the festival announced February 21.
On March 21, Ai Weiwei will present the world premiere of his new feature doc Animality at Dagmar Teatret. The documentary examines the complex relationship between humans and animals through a calm and kaleidoscopic lens. Following the screening, Ai Weiwei will participate in a discussion about the film. Also on March 21, the international premiere of Ai Weiwei’s Turandot, directed by Maxim Derevianko, will take place at CPH:DOX. This documentary follows Ai Weiwei’s production of Puccini’s Turandot at the Rome Opera House, using the opera as a platform to address global issues. Save the date!
On March 20 at Social Cinema, Kunsthal Charlottenborg Ai Weiwei will share his experiences of using art as a tool for social change, will talk about his work with Human Rights Watch and will explore how art challenges oppression.
Israeli architect and researcher Eyal Weizman, known for using architecture to investigate human rights violations, will speak at CPH:DOX on March 22 following the screening of Danae Elon’s Rule of Stone which reveals how architecture has been used as a tool of control and displacement since Israel’s capture of East Jerusalem in 1967.
Weizman, founder of Forensic Architecture at the University of London, examines how architecture is used to exert power. In a conversation moderated by Politiken’s Lotte Folke Kaarsholm, he will explore the political and ideological role of architecture in conflict. Presented in collaboration with the Royal Danish Academy, the event highlights the hidden influence of architecture on politics and society.
CPH:DOX also announced its 2025 INTER:ACTIVE exhibition line-up for 2025. Presented under the theme of Untamed: Humanity Rewilded, the festival promises “a provocative and immersive experience that urges audiences to reimagine humanity’s role within the natural world.”
Running March 19 – 30 at Kunsthal Charlottenborg, this year’s exhibition calls for “ecological reconciliation and cultural transformation in the face of environmental crisis and social repression.” The twelve selected works will compete for the INTER:ACTIVE Award for the second year.
Curated by CPH:LAB’s Head of Studies, Mark Atkin, Untamed: Humanity Rewilded “confronts the entrenched patterns of anthropocentric thinking and the historical exploitation of nature through a powerful body of works. The exhibition brings together an eclectic mix of mediums, showcasing the breadth of creative exploration in contemporary art. From immersive virtual reality journeys and AI-driven installations to interactive video games and participatory experiences, the works challenge viewers to engage with art in dynamic and tactile ways.”
Click here for full details of the 2025 INTER:ACTIVE programme.
