Act of Vandalism: Attack on Ai Weiwei’s Sculpture

The recent private opening of Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei’s exhibition in Bologna, Italy took a shocking turn when a man smashed one of his sculptures, “Porcelain Cube,” in an act of vandalism. The exhibition, titled “Who am I?”, was inaugurated at Palazzo Fava in Bologna.

Reports indicate that a 57-year-old Czech man, claiming to be an artist, was arrested for the vandalism. Known for targeting important works of art in the past, the man carried out this reckless act during the invitation-only event.

Despite the damage, the museum confirmed that the exhibition opened to the public as planned, with the fragments of the sculpture covered and removed. They will be replaced by a life-sized print along with an explanation of the incident.

Ai Weiwei shared CCTV footage of the attack on his Instagram account, showing the man deliberately smashing the sculpture on the gallery floor. The man was apprehended by museum security shortly after.

The exhibition’s curator, Arturo Galansino, expressed dismay over the incident, describing the attacker as a “habitual troublemaker seeking attention by damaging artists, works, monuments, and institutions.” He emphasized that the destruction depicted in Ai Weiwei’s works serves as a commentary on violence and injustice, contrasting sharply with the senseless act of vandalism.