AI WEIWEI

AGE: 50
OCCUPATION: Architect and contemporary artist
NUMBER OF TIME COVERS: 0
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0

PRO: Since dropping out of Beijing's famed Film Academy in 1981, the politically inclined artist has created an astounding array of boundary-pushing projects, including smashing a 2,000 year old Han vase For Art, and co-designing China's stunning $440 million "Bird's Nest" Olympic stadium with Swiss architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron.

CON: Boycotting the opening ceremonies of the Olympics would be a great way to protest China's human rights violations...if you hadn't already designed their centerpiece building.