Snake Ceiling 2009

Ai Weiwei’s “Snake Ceiling” (2009) is a large-scale installation that consists of thousands of individually hand-painted porcelain shoes arranged to form a winding snake-like structure. The artist used porcelain, a material associated with traditional Chinese art, to highlight the country’s rapid economic development and the impact on its cultural heritage. The shoes, representing individual lives and destinies, are arranged in a complex, organic shape that contrasts with the stark white space of the gallery. Weiwei's work often addresses political and social issues, and this installation can be interpreted as a commentary on the growing consumerism and homogenization of society.