“Ai Weiwei. Libero”, Italy’s first major retrospective dedicated to one of the world’s most celebrated and influential contemporary artists, opened at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence.
The exhibition features key monumental installations, sculptures and objects, as well as videos and photography series produced throughout the career of the acclaimed Chinese artist and activist.
Twenty-two red rubber boats now hangs on the walls of the 15th-century Florentine palace, as part of the installation, to bring attention to the European migrant crisis. The boats are meant to resemble those used to rescue migrants making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.
Named “Reframe”, the installation has attracted both praise and criticism, with some complaining that it ruins the visual harmony of the city center.
The “Libero” exhibition closes on January 22, 2017.