Ai Weiwei
A matter of perspective

"To express yourself needs a reason, but expressing yourself is the reason."

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ABOUT THE COLLECTION

The new illy Art Collection designed by Ai Weiwei is inspired by his famous Coloured Vases (2006), ancient Neolithic vases that the artist dipped into cans of industrial paint, radically changing their appearance and function.

The cups

A matter of perspective, when appearance deceives.

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SET OF 2 COFFEE CUPS

SET OF 2 CAPPUCCINO CUPS

SET OF 4 COFFEE CUPS

SET OF 4 CAPPUCCINO CUPS

With these desecrating ready-mades Ai Weiwei renews and transforms an artefact from the past into a work of contemporary art, through a process of appropriation and destruction. This gesture eliminates the historical and cultural value of the artefact, alluding to the systematic destruction of history and culture that has continued in China from the time of Mao to today's unbridled state capitalism.

Ai Weiwei

Conceptual artist, sculptor, painter, performer, photographer, architect and urban planner, collector, director (cinema, documentaries, theatre and opera), actor, musician (singer and lyricist), writer and publisher, blogger and master of the selfie, investigative journalist, human rights activist and dissident: the multifaceted personality of Ai Weiwei (Beijing, 1957). Considered to be one of the most influential global personalities of recent years, Ai Weiwei reflects on the complexity of society and the present day through a critical exploration of the often-problematic connection between China and the West.