Ai Weiwei inaugurates site-specific sculpture in L’Aquila

The site-specific sculpture ‘Figure and wheelbarrow for L’Aquila’ by artist Ai Weiwei has been inaugurated in L’Aquila, Italy. The steel artwork, measuring nearly three meters high and 3.4 meters long, depicts the artist himself pushing a construction wheelbarrow.

Inspired by a 2025 visit to the city's historic center, the piece serves as a symbol of labor, reconstruction, and rebirth following the city's earthquake history. The artist noted a personal connection to the wheelbarrow, recalling his childhood and his father, the poet Ai Qing. The project was curated by Giacinto di Pietrantonio and supported by several institutions, including Fondazione Carispaq, Fondazione Terzo Pilastro, and the L’Aquila 2026 Capital of Culture committee.

Separately, L’Aquila is hosting the ‘Opera Demopratica’ program, a series of 25 cultural appointments running through December. This initiative, promoted by the Municipality of L’Aquila and Fondazione Pistoletto Cittadellarte, aims to build a creative and cultural business ecosystem in the region.