Cai guoqiang, born in fujian province in 1957, may be the most widely known chinese artist of his generation. He studied stage design at the shanghai drama institute from 1981 to 1985 and attended the institute for contemporary art. Cai guo qiangs explosive art, preserved for the ages getty scientists explore the artists use of gunpowder and other materials for a definitive new book. Apr 17, 2002 cai guo qiang was born in quanzhou, china, in 1960, and lived in tokyo from 1985 to 1995, before moving to new york. Cai guoqiangs explosive art, preserved for the ages the. The drawing was ignited onsite on september 25, and it depicts ancient temples, banyan trees, distant mountains, and other historical buildings juxtaposed with frank gehrys phantomlike museum.
Head on is part of an ongoing series of exhibitions drawn from the corporate collection of deutsche bank. His father, cai ruiqin, was a calligrapher and traditional painter who worked in a bookstore. This book, produced in close cooperation with the artist, is a collection of cai guoqiangs latest works, conceived for deutsche guggenheim in berlin. He attended the shanghai drama institute from 19811985, where he earned his bfa in stage design guggenheim, 2012. The whole idea of wolves going head on into collision is. Casting a critical eye over the guggenheim ubs map project itself, philippine critic and curator eileen legaspiramirez poses challenging questions about the purpose of transnational curating and the meanings of asia from an american perspective. The work of cai guoqiang suggests natures state of helplessness in the face of modern mans relentless, promethean drive to progress. The spectacular art of cai guoqiang books and arts abc radio. Oct 25, 2017 cai guoqiang at the prado, on display in room c of the museo del prados jeronimos building. During the 1990s he emerged on to the international art scene and has become a major figure of contemporary chinese art. New yorkbased chinese artist cai guoqiang has installed flying wolves, a giant waterhole and an. Text by dan cameron, nicholas mirzoeff, zhu qingsheng, ariane grigoteit.
Cai guo qiang, born in fujian province in 1957, may be the most widely known chinese artist of his generation. Cai guoqiang was born in quanzhou, china, in 1960, and lived in tokyo from 1985 to 1995, before moving to new york. He recently curated the chinese pavilion at the 51st venice biennale. For the occasion, cai created the gunpowder drawing, homeland, depicting cais birthplace and hometownthe ancient city of quanzhou. These include an installation with 99 wolves, a largeformat gunpowder drawing, and a video of a spectacular fireworks display held at the berlin venue. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou city, fujian province, china, and lives and works in new york. These drawings, entitled projects for extraterrestrials, are among the works published in this book, which accompanies an exhibition at the fondation cartier. A chinese artist confronts environmental disaster the.
Cai guoqiang, born december 8, 1957, quanzhou, fujian province, china, chinese pyrotechnical artist known for his dramatic installations and for using gunpowder as a medium. Told through the artists own words and those of family, friends, colleagues, and critics, sky ladder traces cais. From cai studio, cai guoqiang, head on 2006, 99 lifesized replicas of wolves and glass wall. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou, fujian province, china. From cai studio, cai guo qiang, head on 2006, 99 lifesized replicas of wolves and glass wall. Fireflies, which will decorate the citys benjamin franklin parkway with hundreds of colorful lanterns. From moca, cai guoqiang, chaos in nature 2012, gunpowder on canvas, mounted on wood as eightpanel screen, 4.
This book, produced in close cooperation with the artist, is a collection of cai guoqiang s latest works, conceived for deutsche guggenheim in berlin. Berlin, singapore, new york, bilbao, and brisbane are just a few of the locations in the world that have had the pleasure of experiencing cai guoqiangs head on 2006. Featuring stunning, neverbeforepublished works, this is the most intimate book to date on the renowned chinese artist cai guoqiang. Cai guo qiang has 24 books on goodreads with 144 ratings. As a result, cai guoqiang was exposed early on to western literature as well as traditional chinese art forms. Each are inspiring exhibitions that unite ancient and contemporary chinese artistic practices. See more ideas about cai guo qiang, installation art and contemporary art.
And he conceived the works that appear in this book withina book a book inlaid inside a. The drawing was ignited onsite on september 25, and it depicts ancient temples, banyan trees, distant mountains, and other historical buildings juxtaposed with frank gehrys. Cai guo qiang s most popular book is cai guo qiang. For his dramatic and impressive installation, cai who resides in new york chose to fit 99 lifelike stuffed wolves into a glass wall. Cai guoqiang has been appointed director of visual and special effects, and is a core member of the creative team, for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 beijing summer olympics, which. One of the gunpowder drawings produced by cai guoquiang for saraab 2011 in the fujian province where guoqiang was born theres an important chinese army base. Cai guo qiang s first german solo exhibition in berlin. Cai guoqiang is the author of life beneath the shadow 4. As an australian company with a strong chinese heritage, golden age group similarly draws from traditional ideologies to inform our presentday. Head on by dan cameron author, nicholas mirzoeff author. Cai guoqiang, 2004, nine lifesized tiger replicas, arrows, and mountain stage prop. Cai guoqiang exhibition catalogs, books, bibliography, biography. Head on was first realized for the deutsche guggenheim exhibition cai guoqiang. Saraab mirage in arabic is the catalog of cai guoqiangs first solo exhibition in the middle east.
Cai trained in stage design at the shanghai theatre acadmey. Cai guoqiangs multidisciplinary practice is conceptually grounded in contemporary social issues and his lifelong interest in eastern philosophy as a means to inquire into our relationship with the universe. His work has since displayed a wide range of mediums, including drawing, installation, video and performance art. Along with telling his story of artistic success, macdonalds film specifically documents guoqiang as he tries to create his most demanding project yet, the sky laddera firework display that would ascend 1,650 feet into the air. Cai guoqiangs first german solo exhibition in berlin.
Cai guoqiang was born in quanzhou, fujian province, in 1957. Ephemeral and monumental, the work of cai guoqiang is founded upon an ancient religious and philosophical aesthetic tradition. Cai guoqiangs multidisciplinary practice is conceptually grounded in contemporary social issues and his lifelong interest in eastern philosophy as a means to. Jun 20, 2016 gun powder is cai guo qiang s calling card, as the artist behind the fireworks displays of the beijing olympics, having also won the coveted golden lion award at the venice biennale, cai guo qiang.
Cai guo qiang s art and the origins of the chinese concept of art laozhu vortex. Cai guoqiang, 1957, chinese painter and a sculptor especially known for using gunpowder as a medium and explosions and fireworks as means of artistic expression, b. Seeking a working method that would bring him a feeling of freedom, cai guoqiang experimented with various materials, and in 1989 he unveiled a series of drawings created with gunpowder. Odyssey, museum of fine arts, houston, permanent gunpowder drawing installation in the tsung and wei fong chao arts of china gallery, opened oct. Cai guoqiangs explosive art, preserved for the ages. Cai guoqiangs head on 99 wolves crash into a glass wall.
Golden age group is honoured to be the principal partner of terracotta warriors. Deutsche bank collection, commissioned by deutsche bank ag. In preparation for the opening of the gallery, guoquiang invited local residents to join him in the creation of a series of gunpowder drawings which will form part of what will be his first solo show in. Oct 01, 20 for the occasion, cai created the gunpowder drawing, homeland, depicting cais birthplace and hometownthe ancient city of quanzhou.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Cai guoqiang with ellen pearlman the brooklyn rail. The explosive genius of cai guoqiang brilliant ideas ep. And he conceived the works that appear in this book withina book a book inlaid inside a larger.
Head on, national museum of singapore organized by the deutsche bank collection, jul. The perspective of one of the most influential contemporary artists on the complex web of conceptual and material connections between china and the arab world. Cai guoqiang article about cai guoqiang by the free. Christies held its first auction in mainland china on september 26 in shanghai. Chinese artist cai guoqiangs latest exhibition saraab at the mathaf museum in doha, qatar, doesnt open until december 5 but its already got off to a characteristically explosive start. He has lived and worked outside of china since 1986, first in japan and subsequently, beginning in 1995, in new york city. Official facebook page of contemporary artist cai guoqiang. Cai guoqiang, born december 8, 1957, quanzhou, fujian province, china, chinese pyrotechnical artist known for his dramatic installations and for using gunpowder as a medium cais fathera painter, historian, and bookstore ownerwas somewhat ambivalent toward mao zedong and the new chinese society that was emerging after the successful communist revolution. Meet the artist who blows things up for a living arts. Cai guoqiang takes an interesting look at pack mentality with his amazing installation piece, head on. Heritage, 20 cai guo qiang installation view, queensland gallery of modern art, brisbane, 20.
We use cookies to deliver our online services and to provide more personalized services to you. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. It celebrates the art and ambition of a guoqiang, who paints images in the sky using colorful fireworks. It may be available from zvab or other secondhand book portals. While he was installing his current retrospective i want to believe at the guggenheim museum on view feb.
The national and international studio program at p. Head on dan cameron, nicholas mirzoeff, friedhelm hutte, cai. This work is number 5 from an edition of 9 unique works published by ivory press, london. Cai guoqiangs head on a pack of wolves find an abrupt end.
Cai guo qiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou, fujian province, china. As a child he grew up watching fighter planes streak overhead and the sound of shells exploding was common. Striking in its size and energy, head on consists of ninetynine lifelike wolves constructed from metal wires, painted sheepskins and hay, running as a pack through the length of an empty white room, only to crash headfirst into a glass wall, to then fall stunned and lifeless to. In a dual presentation of chinese art and culture past and present, the melbourne winter masterpieces series at the national gallery of victoria presents chinas ancient terracotta warriors alongside an exhibition of new works by one of the worlds most exciting contemporary artists, cai guoqiang. Cais fathera painter, historian, and bookstore ownerwas somewhat ambivalent toward mao zedong and the new chinese society that was emerging after the successful. Apr 14, 2008 currently, the guggenheim museum in new york presents cai guo qiang. Cai guo qiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou city, fujian province, china, and lives and works in new york. He is now based in new york, where his work has been presented at the metropolitan museum of art, among other venues. He was a child during mao zedongs cultural revolution and strongly influenced by societys vision for social utopia. Currently, the guggenheim museum in new york presents cai guo qiang.
Exploring the zoological world, depicts a scene that could actually never occur in nature, ninetynine animals including a whole tiger family drinking sidebyside from a still blue watering hole this dramatic piece, by chinese artist cai guoqiang the gunpowder guy is realized in fauxtaxidermy. In his latest feature documentary, oscarwinning filmmaker kevin macdonald one day in september, the last king of scotland has unfettered access to worldrenowned contemporary artist, cai guoqiang. This impossibly theatrical and spectacular artwork, from our new book animal. As an adolescent, cai witnessed the social effects of the cultural revolution. Cai guoqiang has 24 books on goodreads with 144 ratings. Astonishing animals cai guoqiangs heritage installation. Cai guoqiang 1957 is one of the most famous contemporary.
Cai guoqiang on brilliant ideas episode 30 bloomberg. I want to believe by guoqiang cai book 11 editions published in 2008 in english and held by 447 worldcat member libraries worldwide. Exploring the zoological world, depicts a scene that could actually never occur in nature, ninetynine animals including a whole tiger family drinking sidebyside from a still blue watering hole this dramatic piece, by chinese artist cai guo qiang the gunpowder guy is realized in fauxtaxidermy. As a result, cai guo qiang was exposed early on to western literature as well as traditional chinese art forms. See more ideas about cai guo qiang, installation art, sculpture installation. Gun powder is cai guo qiangs calling card, as the artist behind the fireworks displays of the beijing olympics, having also won the coveted golden lion award at.
I want to believe, a comprehensive retrospective of the chineseborn artist cai guoqiang until may 28, 2008. Oct 14, 2016 it celebrates the art and ambition of a guoqiang, who paints images in the sky using colorful fireworks. Cai guo qiang is the author of life beneath the shadow 4. Jun 17, 2016 gun powder is cai guo qiang s calling card, as the artist behind the fireworks displays of the beijing olympics, having also won the coveted golden lion award at the venice bienale, cai guo qiang. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou city, fujian province, china. Head on, singapore national museum singapore 2008 i want to believe solommon guggenheim museum new york, usa 2003 travelerreflection smithonian institute, washington, usa 2000 fondation cartier dart contemporain more group exhibitions. Deutsche guggenheim organized by the deutsche bank collection, berlin.