Ai Weiwei’s Vases in Five Colours (2024) continues the artist’s long-standing interrogation of cultural identity, commercialisation, and artistic heritage. This series of five Murano glass vases—rendered in blue, green, mustard, black, and white—pays homage to traditional Chinese ceramics while embedding them within a globalised context. The vibrant hues reference ancient Chinese glazes, yet their sleek, translucent surfaces betray a contemporary sensibility. By employing Murano glass, a material deeply tied to Venetian craftsmanship, Ai Weiwei merges two artistic traditions, challenging notions of authenticity and ownership. The interplay between the artisanal and the mass-produced echoes his broader critique of cultural commodification and the impact of Western capitalism on Chinese heritage.
These vases are more than decorative objects; they are vessels of contradiction. The Coca-Cola emblem, a ubiquitous symbol of consumer culture, disrupts the historical reverence associated with ceramic traditions, much like Ai Weiwei’s earlier works starting in 1994, where he painted the logo onto 2,000-year-old Han-dynasty urns. His works such as Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn (1995) and Han Jar Overpainted with Coca-Cola Logo (1995) are iconic examples of how he provocatively addresses China's historical confrontation with Western influences. Here, however, the medium itself shifts the conversation. The fragility of glass contrasts with the permanence of branding, suggesting both the resilience and vulnerability of cultural identity in an increasingly homogenized world.
“ For me, the Coca-Cola logo on a vase is like rewriting history. It’s both an act of destruction and creation, showing how consumer culture has rewritten values worldwide. „