Ai Weiwei has long challenged cultural norms through subversive art — from smashing ancient vases in his 1995 work Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn to emblazoning heritage artifacts with logos. Now, the artist revisits that tension between tradition and commercialization in his latest project: “Colored Vase”, created with Avant Arte.
Five Metallic Icons
The edition features five nickel-plated vases, each adorned with an upside-down Nike Swoosh — a bold gesture fusing ancient craft and modern consumerism. Available in red, blue, green, silver, and gold, the vases are produced using a metal-spinning technique, then finished with a tinted lacquer. Each piece measures 21 × 23 × 23 cm and comes signed and numbered by Weiwei.
Limited Drop Details
The five-piece edition is priced at $1,554 USD per sculpture and will be available for one week only, starting August 28 at 2 PM BST exclusively via Avant Arte.