Ai Weiwei vase worth $1m deliberately smashed in art protest

51-year-old Maximo Caminero was charged with criminal mischief after breaking the vase in an apparent protest.

16:23 18 February 2014

One of Ai Weiwei’s artistically modified ancient vases, which was originally made during China’s Han Dynasty, was deliberately smashed by 51-year-old Maximo Caminero in an apparent protest against the Florida Museum. The man claims that the museum failed to support local artists.

The museum was holding an exhibition of the work of the modern Chinese artist until mid-March including an artwork ironically entitled Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn depicting Weiwei smashing an ancient Chinese vase.

Mr Caminero, who said that he acted spontaneously and that he was inspired by Mr Ai’s own art, explained: "I did it for all the local artists in Miami that have never been shown in museums here. They have spent so many millions now on international artists."

He added: "I saw it as a provocation by Weiwei to join him in an act of performance protest.”

Meanwhile, Weiwei reacted to the news saying: "I still don't have a chance to show my work in China or Beijing. I never even think of going to a museum in Beijing to protest - if I [did], I would be punished."

"The work I work on [does] not belong to a museum or other people's property. I never tried to destroy a museum piece - those vases belong to me. He can drop whatever he likes to drop, but not other people's property."