Man smashes Ai Weiwei sculpture at Italy art show opening
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ROME – A man shattered a sculpture by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei on Sept 20 during the opening of his exhibition at Palazzo Fava in the Italian city of Bologna, a spokesperson for the show said.
Footage from CCTV cameras, posted on Ai's Instagram account, showed a man vigorously pushing the sculpture over, breaking it and then holding a piece of it over his head.
The sculpture targeted was the artist's large blue-and-white Porcelain Cube, the spokesperson said.
The exhibit's curator Arturo Galansino said the perpetrator was well known in the art world.
"Unfortunately, I know the author of this inconsiderate gesture from a series of disturbing and damaging episodes over the years involving various exhibitions and institutions in Florence," said Dr Galansino.
Bologna police told local media that a 57-year old Czech man was arrested after being stopped by the museum's security.
The spokesperson said the oeuvre will be replaced by a life-size print of the cube. The exhibition – titled Who Am I? – is due to run until May 4.
"Ai Weiwei worried that no one was hurt and asked that the remains of the work be covered and taken away," he said.
It was not clear how the man had entered the building during the invite-only event on Sept 20. REUTERS
