Ai Weiwei Unveils Political Silk Installation at Milan's Fuorisalone 2026

Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei presents a surprising site-specific installation at the Rubelli showroom in Milan during Fuorisalone 2026. The immersive work, visible from April 16 to May 15 on Via Fatebenefratelli, features a large decorative silk fabric woven with gold and silk threads. Surveillance cameras, handcuffs, and digital communication icons appear in relief on the textile, referencing the artist's political battles. These symbols include the digital eye of social control, chains of imprisonment, Twitter's bird representing internet free speech, and the alpaca as a symbol of resistance against Chinese censorship. A documentary film accompanies the installation, revealing the textile work's complexity and layered meanings. In an interview, Ai Weiwei describes the world's current state as "an act of madness," citing the brutal devastation of Gaza by Israel and actions by the United States and Israel toward Iran as irrational and shameless. He explains that his collaboration with the historic Venetian textile company Rubelli draws from ancient human wisdom and "capacity to make." The artist collects silk fabrics dating back to China's Spring and Autumn period (c. 770–476 BCE) and Warring States period (c. 475–221 BCE), which influence his current work. When asked about being labeled a "dissident artist," Ai Weiwei expresses discomfort with the term, believing all artists should be dissidents by offering new thoughts and potential to individuals.