Man Shatters Ai Weiwei Sculpture at Italian Exhibition Premiere

ROME, Italy — During a private event in Bologna, a man vandalized a sculpture by renowned Chinese artist Ai Weiwei. The incident occurred at the opening of the exhibition “Who am I?” held at Palazzo Fava. Curator Arturo Galansino condemned the act as “reckless and senseless.”

The damaged piece, titled “Porcelain Cube,” was a prominent feature of the exhibition, which officially opened to the public the following day. Reports indicate that Italian authorities apprehended a 57-year-old Czech man, who has a history of targeting significant artworks.

The method of the assailant’s access to the invitation-only event remains unclear. Following the vandalism, the museum covered the sculpture’s fragments with a cloth, removing them from display. These remnants will be substituted with a life-sized print along with a label explaining the event.

Ai Weiwei shared video footage of the vandalism on Instagram, showing the man lurking around the sculpture before abruptly pushing it to the ground. Notably, he posed with a broken piece in his hand before security intervened.

Galansino emphasized the irony of this attack, considering that several pieces within the exhibition address themes of destruction. He noted that Ai Weiwei’s works aim to critique systemic violence and injustice, making the vandalism’s senselessness even more pronounced. The curator characterized the perpetrator as “a habitual troublemaker seeking attention by damaging artists and institutions.”