The 2008 TIME 100 Finalists

Are They Worthy?
Johannes Simon / Getty

AI WEIWEI

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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.

Talk Back

Who is on your list?

With so many different fields and individuals to choose from, we want to know who you would pick