The art of cai guoqiang 2016 which portrays the life and practice of contemporary chinese artist cai guoqiang, known for his spectacular installations and the use of gunpowder. The national and international studio program at p. Were sitting in a sunlit room of his studio in new yorks east village discussing one of cais earlier works, now captured as a scene from sky ladder, a documentary about cais life and work, which debuts on netflix this friday. The film was coproduced by wendi deng as well as idg capital global chairman xiong xiaoge and premiered in the world documentary category at sundance in 2016.
Sundance documentary sky ladder puts chinese artist cai. The art of cai guoqiang his experience comes to the fore, constructing a film that packs into a feature length running time an impactful and engaging look at this fine subject. If youre unfamiliar with his art, guoqiang does some pretty amazing stuff with fireworks. Why is it important to make these violent explosions beautiful, he has asked. Cai guoqiang tells us true story behind sky ladder.
The art of cai guoqiang follows the continuing ascent of this chineseborn, new yorkbased artist as he. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies. Art basel hong kong cai guo qiang, sky ladder 2015. The art of cai guoqiang by director kevin macdonald follows the projects ultimate success and. It celebrates the art and ambition of a guoqiang, who paints images in the sky using colorful fireworks. This years day one film representing the world doc section brings todays profiles to a close. The film was released by netflix on october 14, 2016. Cai guoqiang 1,650ft ladder made out of fire cnn style.
This netflix documentary tracks the rise of chinese artist cai guoqiang. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou city, fujian province, china. He studied stage design at the shanghai drama institute from 1981 to 1985 and attended the institute for contemporary art. People cai guoqiang sets the art world aflame in new netflix documentary.
More than 4,500 visitors eagerly awaited the arrival of an outerspace alien to kickoff the opening of cai guoqiang. Cai guoqiang tells us true story behind sky ladder artnet news. The 70minute feature will debut as a netflix original film, and will be available in over 190 countries starting october 14, 2016. Cai guoqiangs stunning sky ladder finally succeeds. The book is published to coincide with his recent solo exhibition cai guoqiang. When he finally realised it in 2015 after 20 years and three failed attempts, a majestic 500metre ladder of gold light ascended into the night sky over the huiyu island harbour, not far from cais hometown in fujian province. Many a contemporary artist has seen his career go up in smoke. The art of cai guoqiang follows the continuing ascent of this chineseborn, new yorkbased artist as he works in different mediums for different. Sky ladder chronicles his life and career in illuminating fashion, beginning with his troubled childhood. Overall, sky ladder works as a very complete profile on an interesting, innovative artist, without leaving his human size unexplored and as a very small window to peek into the massive landscape of modern china and specifically its art, which has produced figures as wellknown as zhang yimou, ai weiwei and yes, cai guoqiang. The execution of this 500meter ladder was the subject of the netflix documentary sky ladder. The chinese artist tells us the true story behind sky ladder. The art of cai guoqiang, directed by oscarwinning filmmaker kevin macdonald.
For cai guoqiang, smoke, fire and explosions have made his reputation. The sky ladder is a 1,650foot ladder of fire climbing into the skies above artist cai guoqiangs hometown. Watch now for free featured browse more titles movies. Known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, chinese artist cai guoqiang creates his most ambitious project yet in this breathtaking documentary. The art of cai guoqiang, which received its european premier at the london film festival, showcases cais exquisite gunpowder art, which he. Trace the rise of contemporary artist cai guoqiang from childhood in maos china to global art world superstar, and join his quest to realize his lifelong obsession.
How cai guoqiang built a 1,650foottall ladder out of. Artist cai guoqiang authentically portrayed in netflixs. He was trained in stage design at the shanghai theater academy, and his work has since crossed multiple mediums within art, including drawing, installation, video and performance art. Trace the rise of contemporary artist cai guoqiang from childhood. Established chinese contemporary artist cai guoqiang 2nd from right was featured in his first documentary film produced by wendi deng middle a still from the movie sky ladder. The opening film of garage screen summer cinema is the russian premiere of kevin macdonalds documentary feature sky ladder. The art of cai guo qiang that it might be selfdefeating. He first imagined a ladder of fire as a child and has pursued the idea for 21 years. In perhaps cais most compelling work yet, sky ladder 2015, the artist ignited a 1,650foottall ladder rigged with explosives and held aloft by a giant balloon. The art of cai guoqiangnetflix after several attempts spanning decades and continents, artist cai guoqiang embarked once again to construct a near 1,700 foot firework ladder into the sky.
His status as a key figure on the new york art scene where he has worked and lived since the mid 90s was cemented in 2008, when the guggenheim hosted a major retrospective of his work. Join cai as he discusses his book ladder to the sky with art historian and awesome extraordinaire lesley ma at the new york public library. The art of cai guoqiang mcdonalds experience comes to the fore, constructing a film that packs into a feature length running time an. This film follows his quest to pull off his most ambitious, and challenging project a ladder to the sky composed of, you guessed it, fireworks. Connecting the earth to the rest of the universe was cai guo qiangs childhood dream.
He shares about this last successful iteration of the event. His explosive art connects earth to sky and humanity to spirit. The sky ladder is a 1,650foot ladder of fire climbing into the. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou city, fujian province, china, and lives and works in new york. The event, free and open to the public, will be held october. The art of cai guoqiang, kevin macdonalds look at the life and work of one of chinas most celebrated artists. Thats what drives my work, cai explains, a wide smile spreading across his face. The theme of the evening revolved around aliens, related to cais ongoing project for extraterrestrials 1994, a series of 32 explosion events.
The art of cai guoqiang is a narrative documentary film directed by academy award winner kevin macdonald and produced by wendi deng murdoch, hugo shong, and fisher stevens. Cai guoqiang is arguably modern chinas first international art star. Cai guoqiang is a contemporary chinese artist renowned for his innovative works which incorporate gunpowder and controlled explosions. German, german, english audio description, english audio description, spanish, spanish, french. With ian buruma, guoqiang cai, wenyou cai, wenhao cai. The art of cai guoqiang is the story of a unique artist at a pivotal moment in his life and times.
The documentary told the story of cais rise to global success through interviews with the artist, family, friends, colleagues, and critics. After all, the frame of the film is whether or not cais attempt at creating a 500. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing sky ladder. Known for his spectacular pyrotechnic artwork displays, he tackles his most ambitious project yet, sky ladder. Artist cai guoqiang takes center stage in netflix documentary sky ladder. This film captures the work and life of cai guoqiang, whose frequent use of gunpowder serves as both an ancestral homage and an acknowledgement of. If youre cai guoqiang, you continue to chase the ambitious dream that has eluded you for 20 yearssky laddera 1,650 foot ladder of fire climbing into the skies, connecting heaven and earth.
The art of cai guoqiang is unlike anything ive ever seen, and definitely not the kind of art you could catch in any art district throughout the world. The art of cai guoqiang mcdonalds experience comes to the fore, constructing a film that packs into a feature length running time an impactful and engaging look at this fine. There is an irresistible, herzogian flavor to kevin macdonalds new documentary, sky ladder. It took 21 years, but chinese artist cai guoqiang has finally brought to life his dramatic sky ladder, an explosive artwork in which a flaming ladder seems to miraculously float above the earth.
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