Czech national disrupts opening of Ai Weiwei exhibition in Italy

A Czech national disrupted the opening of the exhibition Who I Am? by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei in Bologna, Italy, when he smashed one of the exhibited works. The man reportedly destroyed a porcelain cube placed at the entrance to the exhibition. According to the Italian press, the perpetrator is a well-known provocateur who lives in Florence and has in the past similarly damaged artworks and monuments by famous artists. He was apprehended by the organizers and handed over to the police. According to the Corriere della Sera newspaper, he will be investigated for destroying a work of art. In Italy, this carries a penalty of between two and five years in prison and a fine of between 2,500 and 15,000 euros.  The man is known, especially in Florence, for his eccentric acts. In 2012, he covered the walls of the former convent of St Ursula in the city centre with fake dollar bills. In 2018, he destroyed a painting of Serbian artist Marina Abramovic and in 2022, he painted a statue in the centre of Florence in the Ukrainian national colours.