How did Ai Weiwei transform Ming and Qing dynasty furniture into art?

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Chinese activist and artist Ai Weiwei in 2019, facing the camera and wearing a black zip-up jacket. — Ai Weiwei Ai Weiwei, 2019.

Ai Weiwei transformed Ming and Qing dynasty furniture by breaking down the antique pieces and reassembling them into various nonfunctional configurations.1

This practice was part of his broader exploration of the complex relationship between a rapidly modernizing China and its cultural heritage. By altering these centuries-old artifacts, Ai challenged traditional perceptions of historical objects, a technique influenced by his interest in the ready-made works of artists like Marcel Duchamp.1