Ai's artwork has used traditional Chinese pottery on numerous occasions. One of the most notable examples was in 1995 when he dropped and shattered a valuable Han Dynasty urn on camera. The artist also famously painted a Coca-Cola logo on irreplaceable urns. With these pieces, Ai challenges our perceptions of the worth of our living environment by contrasting ancient and artisanal skills and new mass production.

The vase, which was cast in translucent red glass using an iron mould on Murano, a series of islands in the Venetian Lagoon known for its glassmaking, represents a new turning point in the artist's ongoing thoughts on commercialisation, repetition, and iconography.

Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a renowned Chinese contemporary artist, activist, and cultural critic. He is recognised internationally for his thought-provoking artworks, provocative political activism, and unwavering commitment to promoting freedom of expression and human rights. Open in his criticism of the Chinese government, Ai was famously detained for months in 2011, then released to house arrest. “I don’t see myself as a dissident artist,” he says. “I see them as a dissident government!”.  His works often explore social and political themes, challenging the established power structures and shedding light on issues such as censorship, government surveillance, migration, and environmental crises.