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Cai Guo-Qiang Suspends Disbelief, and Cars, at the Guggenheim
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 18, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 18, 2008
Modified Mar 7, 2008
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Photos via the Guggenheim Museum.
Everyone's bursting with anticipation for the opening of Cai Guo-Qiang's new exhibit at the Guggenheim; the site-specific installation serves as a mid-career retrospective and is now just four short days away from being unveiled.
The NY Times has a lengthy profile of the artist (who has lived in New York since 1995) which begins with this insight: "his favorite artistic moment is the pregnant pause between the lighting of the fuse and the detonation of the gunpowder." Thus a partial explanation of his use of ancient Chinese gunpowder in his work; Cai further explains, "One reason I chose gunpowder is that I had the good luck in my environment to be exposed to gunpowder. The other reason is I was always looking for a visual language that goes beyond the boundary of nations, and so I found gunpowder.”
That's not all you will take in at his show, however, The Post reports that "other mind-boggling works feature 99 life-size, stuffed replicas of wolves charging over viewers' heads headlong into a glass wall." Another piece, titled "Inopportune: Stage One," acts as a centerpiece -- illuminated with LED lights as it dangles above the fragile onlookers below.
With more than 80 works, the installation -- which takes up most of the museum -- is called "I Want to Believe," something Cai says is a nod to suspending disbelief. See how the large pieces were installed here, then see them for yourself -- the show runs through through May 28.
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Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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