23
Sep/20

CAI GUO-QIANG: DAYTIME FIREWORKS LIVE EVENT

23
Sep/20

Who: Cai Guo-Qiang
What: Livestreamed daytime pyrotechnics
Where: Hennessy online
When: Friday, September 25, free, 9:00 am (EDT)
Why: In 2008, Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang had a fabulous midcareer retrospective at the Guggenheim that had the sanguine title “I Want to Believe.” I wrote back then of the exhibit, “Cai has filled Frank Lloyd Wright’s twisting space with powerful, politically charged installations that literally and figuratively explode throughout the museum. His highly conceptual art, mixed-media constructions that are born out of destruction (playing off Mao’s famous statement “Progress is born in chaos. And originality comes from destruction.”), explodes from the very floor of the Guggenheim all the way up to the rafters.” On September 25 at 9:00 am (EDT), Cai will be at the Charente River in Cognac, France, joining forces with Hennessy to present a livestreamed three-part multicolor pyrotechnic display to share the ideals of persistence, optimism, and resilience with people around the world during these challenging times. In respect to the environment, he will be using nontoxic, reduced-smoke, CE-certified products, launching the explosions from oak barrels.

“This will be the first time that I direct and narrate my daytime art event to be livestreamed to a global audience,” Cai said in a statement. “I hope the audience will draw inspiration from the aerial art display in order to reconcile with nature and to find the power to heal.” In December, Cai gave the final session speech at the Nobel Week Dialogue in Gothenburg, Sweden; you can read his presentation, “To Explore a ‘Natural’ Attitude in the Midst of Uncertainty and Risks,” here. The free fireworks event is part of Hennessy X.O’s 150th anniversary World Odyssey program, which also includes Ridley Scott’s Seven Worlds for Seven Notes short ads; since this is all sponsored by an alcohol brand, Hennessy advises: “Not intended to be seen by persons under the legal alcohol drinking age or in countries with restrictions on advertising on alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.”