Ai Weiwei: Aftershock

An exhibition showcasing Ai Weiwei’s five-decade career, from works created in New York in the 80s to new sculptures created in Ukraine in 2025.

At the heart of the exhibition is a group of works inspired by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, presented in the Baroque spaces of Palazzo Ardinghelli, a building that symbolises rebirth after the earthquake that struck L’Aquila in 2009. In this context, the exhibition explores the lasting impact of natural disasters, conflicts, corruption and collective tragedies, emphasising human resilience and the power of the creative act as a form of testimony and transformation.

header: stills from the music video Dumbass, 2013, 5min 13 sec, cinematography by Christopher Doyle, Courtesy of Ai Weiwei Studio