TOW #14 "Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn" by Ai WeiWei

            Ai Weiwei is easily the most famous artists from China, and arguably one of the most influential figures in the world of twenty-first century art altogether. His reputation for controversial work has not only landed him a regular spot in the limelight, but also several serious arrests throughout his career. Featured in his most recent exhibit titled, "According to What?" is a series of three photographs taken of the artist in 1995. Titled, Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn, Weiwei is shown dropping an ancient Chinese vase to the ground. Considering that the pictures have sparked lots of debate on almost every major media outlet, his audience has gone far beyond those who attend the small gallery where his work is held,
           This breathtaking triptych has a rich thematic meaning, as shown by the vast variety in interpretations throughout the last two decades. I believe that what Ai Weiwei is getting at with this piece is the tendency of history to takeaway from the precise social order that nations such as his native country of China strive for. This often causes governments to lash out, and either attempt to destroy or change history. The thing I found the most fascinating is that he chose to do the physical destroying himself, and in later work chose to alter similar artifacts. He often ridicules the injustices of Chinese society in his work, and I am relatively certain that this piece is no exception considering the fact that he literally smashes a treasure from ancient China to the ground. Through his juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern, and his strong allusion to the Chinese cultural revolution, Weiwei takes a strong stance and calls into question the validity of the version of history that is taught and the ways in which it is manipulated. Overall the photographs are rather simplistic, which help draw attention the dropping of the vase. However, it is difficult not to notice the disparity in Weiwei's contemporary garb in contrast to the tractional looking vase. This sense of juxtaposition is also played off of by the strong contrast of black and white. This, and his obvious reference to the events that took place during China's cultural revolution help him make a very strong statement, that I think is masterfully done. I am doubtful that I will ever forget this impactful piece of artwork, and I am sure many others would say the same.