Cai Guo-Qiang Exhibit

Earlier today I went to the Guggenheim to check out the “I want to believe” exhibit by Cai Guo-Qiang. A combination of montages and two dimensional paintings make up the exhibit, and it’s all quite unique. The pieces that stood out to me were:

- A recreation of life sized clay statues portraying the misery of Chinese peasants under the rule of a harsh warlord. What made this piece interesting was the fact that it wasn’t all about the final product. It couldn’t be, given that the work was a copy. Instead, the montage was about the process of creating these pieces – all of the statues were unfinished. The clay remained wet in some places, in others it was flaking. Other statues were nothing but a wood and metal skeleton waiting for clay to be put on top. In this way, it was as if this montage was celebrating the previous, original work of art.

- An egg shaped lamp made out of snakeskin with mirrors on top. What made this piece unique was that one could look up into the mirrors to observe live slithering snakes sitting at the bottom of the lamp.


- A collection of gunpowder based paintings. Qiang basically uses controlled explosions in conjunction with oil paint to create his pieces. The result is a set of amazing paintings that are unique not only in their “controlled violence,” but also in their very color and texture. Some paintings almost seemed scarred and blistered.