Just as Venus of the Rags comments on cycles of consumption, it, too, has had its own history of change through the making of the new versions of the work, which could involve modifications to the piles of rags. In 1997, Pistoletto explained:
In the various existing versions of the Venus, or their re-installation, you can use the same original rags or you can change them, but they must maintain their multi-coloured and ruffled character. One of the plaster Venuses of 1967 was broken. My project was to put the pieces together, leaving the signs of breakage evident, like the tears in the rags.