Aftershock - Ai Weiwei at L'Aquila
Ai Weiwei is probably one of the most controversial artists of the past 5 decades. Notorious for his activism and his outspoken criticism to the Chinese government - which has caused him to be arrested several times-, this notoriety has expanded to his art and has underscored its relevance in contemporary art. For this reason, the Museum of 21st century Art, MAXXI, has organized its first major exhibition entirely dedicated to the work of this famous artist at its branch in L'Aquila. Originally based in Rome, MAXXI's branch in L'Aquila is located at the historical Palazzo Ardinghelli, as part of an effort of several cultural institutions to position this city as a cultural pole close to the capital, an effort which reached an important milestone when L'Aquila was declared Cultural Capital of Italy 2026 . The exhibition's name, "Aftershock", and its core concept are closely related to a city which has suffered devastating earthquakes throughout its history...
