- 2023年7月9日

Cai Guo-Qiang as an Astronaut（without Rockets and Suits）

I visited the Cai Guo-Qiang exhibition currently being held at the New National Art Museum. I am ashamed to admit that my knowledge of Cai Guo-Qiang was only "an artist who uses fireworks and gunpowder for expression. However, I was made to realize that this perception is really very small, and that I had not yet reached an understanding of the essential nature of his work.

A moment is “ the moment ”

Cai Guo-Qiang is trying to depict "the moment." The moment is the "Big Bang" when the universe was born. The moment is the sparkle of life being born. The moment is the "History" that such life has built up...

It is these moments that he depicts in his explosions with gunpowder. The explosion seems to be a momentary flash of brilliance, and it triggers the next explosion. In this way, a series of explosions become history and the sustenance of life. His gunpowder drawings are like looking at the light of a planet many light years away. The planetary lights we see are the remains of those explosions.

China as his origin

The fact that his origin is China is a very important essence in understanding his works. In his youth, the country of China was at a critical turning point. It was economically, politically, and historically. It is not hard to imagine that such a shift had a profound effect on him as a Chinese national.

The video below shows the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics that he worked on. This work shows how he has accepted and embraced his homeland, China. We have great respect for his determination and thought. I couldn't stop crying in front of this piece.