"Ai Weiwei was contacted via his publicist to write a piece for the spring 2026 issue of the RA Magazine about his current book. Shortly after the commission, before the piece was received, a decision was made, and communicated to Ai Weiwei's publicist, to reduce the book review section in the magazine. Ai Weiwei's publicist subsequently sent the piece to the RA, but, as previously advised, there was no space in the spring issue to include the piece."
"In 2023, Ai posted a message on social media-subsequently deleted-which caused offence. The Royal Academy's Council and General Assembly, comprising all Academicians, discussed the matter and the General Assembly decided to take no further action. This decision, the spokesperson says, was communicated to Ai at the time."
"The sense of guilt around the persecution of the Jewish people has been, at times, transferred to offset the Arab world."
Ai Weiwei posted a tweet in late 2023 about the Israel–Hamas conflict which he later deleted. Lisson Gallery postponed a London show representing the artist after the tweet. The Royal Academy made Ai an international Royal Academician in 2011. Accusations that the deleted post was antisemitic prompted discussion by the Royal Academy's Council and General Assembly, which decided to take no further action and retained his membership. Ai claims an RA Magazine article was withdrawn; the Royal Academy says a reduction in the spring 2026 book review section left no space to include his submitted piece.
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