In case you missed it over the weekend, Miami artist Maximo Caminero was arrested after shattering a vase — valued at over $1 million dollars — that was part of a 19-piece collection from artist Ai Weiwei. Maximo claimed his actions were a protest of Pérez Art Museum (in Miami) for under-representing local artists. However, he gave a rather interesting interpretation of his “protest” to the Miami New Times:
“It was a spontaneous protest. I was at PAMM and saw Ai Weiwei’s photos behind the vases where he drops an ancient Chinese vase and breaks it. And I saw it as a provocation by Weiwei to join him in an act of performance protest.”
Seriously, this guy just moved up to “hero” status in my book. He just turned art interpretation on its head, and now everybody’s panties are in a bunch (because the only thing more offensive to an art snob than “not getting it”, is “totally not getting it”). Naturally, Weiwei isn’t too happy either:
“The argument does not support the act. It doesn’t sound right. His argument doesn’t make much sense. If he really had a point, he should choose another way, because this will bring him trouble to destroy property that does not belong to him.”
Well, perhaps you shouldn’t have destroyed a priceless Han Dynasty vase in the first place.
[Gawker]
