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Ai Weiwei's monumental glass chandelier debuts at San Giorgio Maggiore

exhibition · 2026-04-27

Ai Weiwei's 'La Commedia Umana', a chandelier weighing 2,700 kg and measuring over six meters in width and nearly nine meters in height, will be on display at the Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice from August 28 to November 27, 2022, as part of the 'Commedia Umana – Memento Mori' exhibition. Crafted by Studio Berengo in Murano with more than 2,000 pieces of black glass, this sculpture holds the record as the largest suspended glass piece in Murano's history, having previously been exhibited in Rome in March 2022. The artwork showcases a flow of bones and objects, lit by Luce5. Curated by Adriano Berengo, the show will also feature new glass creations and pieces borrowed from international galleries. Weiwei's journey with glass began in 2009 in Beijing.

Key facts

  • Ai Weiwei's 'La Commedia Umana' is a 2,700 kg glass chandelier, over 6 m wide and nearly 9 m tall.
  • Exhibited at Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore, Venice from August 28 to November 27, 2022.
  • Part of exhibition 'Commedia Umana – Memento Mori' curated by Adriano Berengo, Ai Weiwei, and Carmelo A. Grasso.
  • Handcrafted by master glassmakers at Studio Berengo, Murano, with over 2,000 black glass pieces.
  • Largest suspended glass sculpture in Murano history; previously shown at Baths of Diocletian, Rome in March 2022.
  • Features lighting design by Italian company Luce5.
  • New glass works include 'Brainless Figure in Glass', 'Glass Root', 'Glass Takeout Box', 'Glass Toilet Paper'.
  • Loans from Lisson Gallery, Galleria Continua, neugerriemschneider; works in porcelain, wood, and LEGO also shown.

Entities

Artists

  • Ai Weiwei

Institutions

  • Basilica of San Giorgio Maggiore
  • Studio Berengo
  • Berengo Studio
  • Fondazione Berengo
  • Abbey of San Giorgio Maggiore
  • Benedicti Claustra Onlus
  • Luce5
  • Lisson Gallery
  • Galleria Continua
  • neugerriemschneider
  • Baths of Diocletian

Locations

  • Venice
  • Italy
  • Murano
  • Rome
  • Baths of Diocletian
  • Beijing
  • China
  • Chengdu
  • Brazil
  • San Giorgio Maggiore

Sources