Ai Weiwei fills Tate Modern turbine hall with 100 million ceramic seed husks

Artisans have worked for more than two years to create the handmade and hand-painted objects.

"In trying to comprehend their sheer quanitity, Ai provokes a multitude of ideas, from the way we perceive number and value, to the way we engage with society at large," says chief curator Sheena Wagstaff.

More than 2 million people are expected to visit the turbine hall during the six-month exhibition.

When the exhbition closes in May 2011 the ceramic pieces will be returned to the artist's studio in Beijing.

The artist says that he used sunflower seeds because they are both a household object and a revolutionary symbol.

Weiwei is a prolific blogger and Twitter user and visitors are encouraged to join a public discussion with the artist using the #tateaww hashtag.