Sculpture bridges nature and machine

Chinese artist Li Zi channels the principles of "living in accordance with nature" and "self-sufficiency through reason" through her sculptures, transforming philosophical ideas into tangible forms that are minimalist yet powerful.

In collaboration with Yao Yan'an, a robotics professor at Beijing Jiaotong University, she has brought these creations to the Palazzo Pretorio — an austere 800-year-old palace in Prato, Italy, now repurposed as a museum.

At the heart of the exhibition, running through April, is Goddess of the Iron Horse — also its title work. It features two human busts, rendered in the style of ancient Greek sculpture, mounted on a mechanical installation evoking a horse. By introducing the language of technology, she invites discussions on the power of humankind and the coexistence of all things.