Ai Weiwei's 'Cedar' represents a significant intersection between memory and transformation in the artist's oeuvre. Since 2009, the artist has been creating tree sculptures from deceased trees sourced from Jianxi province, making this European cedar-inspired piece particularly noteworthy. This piece serves as a document of loss and a celebration of renewal, reflecting Weiwei's ongoing exploration of cultural memory and environmental consciousness. Its creation marks a unique moment in the artist's practice, derived from the first of his tree sculptures crafted from a European tree.

This artwork is a meditation on preservation and renewal, created to commemorate his monumental tree sculpture gifted to Downing College, Cambridge, England. 'Cedar' pays homage to a magnificent blue Atlas cedar that stood in Downing's East Lodge Garden for over two centuries before it was felled in 2020.