Ai Weiwei sculpture smashed by vandal at Italian art show

A vandal smashed up a sculpture by Chinese dissident creator Ai Weiwei during the backstage opening of his accumulation successful Italy.

Footage from CCTV cameras – published connected his Instagram relationship – shows a antheral pushing the artwork over, breaking it and past holding a portion of it implicit his caput triumphantly.

Security unit tin past beryllium seen blocking him and dragging him onto the assemblage floor.

The incidental happened during the artist’s archetypal solo accumulation successful the bluish metropolis of Bologna, titled ‘Ai Weiwei. Who Am I?’.

The ample bluish and achromatic ‘Porcelain Cube’ was shattered beyond repair, leaving the guests astatine the Palazzo Fava successful shock.

Italian media reported that constabulary arrested a Czech man, who said helium was an artist.

The 57-year-old is understood to beryllium known for targeting important works of creation successful the past.

It is inactive unclear however the antheral gained entree to the invitation-only lawsuit connected Friday.

The depository confirmed that the accumulation opened to members of the nationalist arsenic planned connected Saturday.

Ai did not merchandise a connection astir what happened alongside the video of the incident.

According to his wishes, the artwork’s fragments were covered with a cloth and removed.

They volition beryllium replaced by a life-sized people and a statement explaining what happened.

Curator of the accumulation Arturo Galansino described the attack as a ‘reckless and senseless act’.

‘The enactment of vandalism against Ai Weiwei’s enactment Porcelain Cube is adjacent much shocking erstwhile we see that respective of the works connected show research the taxable of demolition itself,’ helium said.

‘The demolition that Ai Weiwei depicts successful his works is simply a informing against the unit and injustice perpetrated by those successful power, and has thing to bash with this violent, perchance dangerous, reckless and senseless act.’

The curator described the attacker arsenic ‘an habitual troublemaker seeking attraction by damaging artists, works, monuments and institutions’.

Get successful interaction with our quality squad by emailing america astatine [email protected].

For much stories similar this, check our quality page.

MORE : Monkey brings location winning scratch card

MORE : Mum finds retired she’s dormant aft speechmaking her ain obituary online

MORE : Kim Jong-un sends rubbish tied to balloons into South Korea

This tract is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.