ai weiwei exhibits colossal glass sculpture of bones and viscera at roman national museum

a tortuous cascade of bones and viscera

roman national museum and berengo studio have announced the debut of ‘la commedia umana’ by chinese artist and activist ai weiwei. one of the largest murano glassworks ever constructed, the huge chandelier consists of over two thousand pieces of hand-blown glass cast by master glassmakers of berengo studio. taking shape as a cascade of bones, skulls, and black glass organs, the installation is now on display at the baths of diocletian, the historical core of the roman national museum since its establishment in 1889. with its colossal dimensions, spanning over six meters in width, about nine in height, and weighing around four tons, the monumental sculpture will leave viewers in awe and admiration.all images by daniele peruzzi unless stated otherwise

‘la commedia umana’ by ai weiwei

suspended from the ceiling one of the ancient bath’s halls, the installation is the result of a collaboration between the famous contemporary artist, and the italian glass studio. ‘la commedia umana’ translated as ‘the human comedy’ appears rather as a warning than a monument to the human loss, in an attempt to talk about ‘death in order to celebrate the life,’ as the artist stated. through his work, ai weiwei creates food for thought about the future, questioning what remains beyond the bones of our broken bodies.

the work was started before the pandemic, but gradually became a metaphor for the loss during this difficult period, and now, it lights up under the war that causes misery to so many souls. ‘la commedia umana shows the liberated content of a human body: our open interiority, the bowels of life laid bare and exposed to the view of all: our mortality expressed by the multiple parts that define our own form.’image by francesco allegretto

‘glass is a material that continually manifests its own mortality and I believe this is one of the reasons why so many artists are now deeply attracted to it. since I founded berengo studio in murano, around thirty years ago, we have witnessed a real rebirth in the world of glass. contemporary artists are no longer afraid of experimenting with this material, and all that it can offer for sculptural art. glass has this unique quality, its weighted symbolism. it was a personal journey for me to see the seed of ai weiwei’s idea grow.’ says adriano berengo, founder of berengo studio.