The ruyi scepter,literally'as one wishes,' is a ceremonial emblem of longevity and good fortune. Ai reinterprets the traditional form by composing his ruyi of porcelain human organs, bringing to mind man's mortality, rather than good health. Like Free Speech Puzzle, Ai Weiwei has taken a traditional form and language and utilized it within a contemporary conservation.
Detail
Title:
Ruyi
Date:
2012
Dimensions:
41 x 16 x 10 cm
Medium:
Porcelain
Location:
Sabancı Üniversitesi Sakıp Sabancı Müzesi (Emirgan, İstanbul, Türkiye)