What you see before you are vases from Han Dynasty China. Coveted for their craftsmanship, a symbol of ancient oriental ingenuity, national treasures, and copiously slathered in obnoxiously vibrant industrial paint. If it were anyone else who committed such an atrocity, I would be viscerally cringing. But because it was Ai Weiwei, the rebel WITH a cause, the mouth who can never be silenced, the absurdist who is unparalleled in his observations of reality, his Colored Vases warrant a second look.
Art historians and the general public alike have been divided over whether Ai Weiweiâs vases can considered as art or deplorable examples of vandalism in the guise of modern art. In order to understand these perspectives and subsequently form our own judgements, context is necessary. Predating even the start of the orthodox dynasties, pottery is one of the most refined aspects of the Chinese cultural identity. Looking beyond their distracting exteriors, this incredible mastery and experience is evident in these vases.
The structure of these vases are robust and has a distinctive silhouette. In this series, the vases swell in their upper abdomen and taper off in both directions. The tops are cut off with lips that convex upwards, while the bottoms round off upon a circular foundation. The first ceramicists to throw such an unsuspectingly complex and impressive form on a wheel might not have understood the gravity of their accomplishments or even referred to their creations as âartâ, but regardless of whether or not they possessed the foresight to predict the massive impact of their work, these first potters ignited one of the most iconic legacies left by any world culture.
Among the first works that are associated with Chinese art are the blue and white porcelain Ming dynasty vases, and even to this day, thereâs scarcely any Eastern earthenware that hasnât been in some way influenced by the legendary Jingdezhen ware. Any pilgrim of pottery has the rocky hills of Jingdezhen on his/her bucket list as itâs hailed as the porcelain Mecca. Oriental porcelain is an emblem of the virtues and merits of Chinese history and is universally acknowledged as one of the most important components driving the countryâs aesthetic. Ai Weiwei has drastically altered the image we have in our minds, so itâs not surprising that his so innocuously named Colored Vases incited such a deeply dramatic, jarred reaction.
Aiâs critics were quick to condemn him for the blatant destruction of priceless, irreplaceable artifacts and his ferocious disrespect of his mother country, with the most extreme parties even claiming treason; however, Ai Weiwei had an actual purpose and intention to create these pieces. They are vases, yes, but like the majority of his work, Ai was constructing a mirror. He took a deeply respected image of China and sloppily smothered it. The beauty and the admiration of the vases still linger, but are nonetheless tarnished by this act. To Ai, this work was simply a synopsis of what China has endured for the past century. The nationâs legacy of scholarship, rich culture, and progressiveness has been soiled by horrible incidents of silencing those who speak out peacefully and scandal and corruption driven by vapid and dangerous incentive.
His commentary is not a work born out of hate for this cultural heritage, if anything, itâs his widely broadcasted cry for help on behalf of a country he was proud to belong to. He fears that indoctrination and denial will eventually erase what Chinese identity was to him, that future generations of the Chinese people will forget their value and history by blindly following a treacherous Big Brother government. Ai is creating off a slippery slope for many already have forgotten, and his life has been permanently put on the line. Yet he still creates out of defiance. On the surface level, his work is directly combating the machinations of the Chinese government, but Ai Weiweiâs work demonstrates a long running theme of fighting against apathy. His work seeks to evoke heated, primal reactions to coax an opinion. Against indifference, Aiâs work forces attention to be placed on it. From there, an actual dialogue can be created and awareness, whether the audience is consciously forming it or not, can be born. In Aiâs philosophy, having any opinion is better than having no opinion at all. It is indifference that destroys, and so when given the choice to live in peaceful ignorance or risk death to himself and his loved ones, Ai Weiwei does not hesitate to choose the latter every single time. In his own words, âWithout freedom of speech there is no modern world, just a barbaric one.â
If you have an artist or a specific piece youâd like my take on, comment on this post. See you Saturday!