Quite a few Chinese contemporary artists have entered the international art stage and held solo exhibitions abroad. After Yue Minjun showing at Queen Museum in New York, Cai Guo-Qiang followed suit to exhibit at the Guggenheim Museum (also in New York). Known to the international art audience since the 1990’s, Cai’s work is famous for his concept of human, nature and the universe being in unity, that individual human being is powerless and fatefully short-lived. His work serves as conversations between human, nature and the universe, and his ’space art’ pieces are made to be seen by aliens one day.
Since 1989, Cai adopted explosion as his media and one of his series is curiously named ‘Project for Extraterrestrials’. ‘Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10′ (dated 1993) is the most well-known piece from the series. He buried explosions in the ground of Jiayuguan Pass and carried on for another ten thousand meters, later set fire on it near sunset hour. Cai lengthened the Great Wall by fire, light and explosion in huge scale, to hopefully draw attention of the aliens to the tremendous architecture of the Great Wall.
Guggenheim Museum is currently hosting a retrospective of Cai’s work including his major installations, paintings and sketches.
Text: Ron Lam | Edit: Carmen Lee | Translation: dilettante
Update: 1 Feb 2008
CAI GUO-QIANG
I WANT TO BELIEVE
Now – May 28, 2008
