Artist Cai Guo-Qiang is set to premiere his documentary Sky Ladder at Sundance this week, documenting the artist’s magnum opus performed in 2014. “His story is not just that of a Chinese artist becoming successful and going international,” says producer Wendi Murdoch. “His is a story that reflects the changes in China over the past 15 years.” (more…)
Artist Cai Guo-Qiang has initiated an ambitious new fireworks performance in Quanzhou, China. Titled Sky Ladder, the work features a climbing line of flames towards the moon. “It carries affection for my hometown, my relatives and my friends,” the artist says. “For me, this not only means a return but also the start of a new journey.” (more…)
Cai Guo-Qiang in front of Desire for Zero Gravity (2012) at MOCA’s Cai Gu0-Qiang: Sky Ladder. Images via MOCA unless otherwise noted.
In the first West Coast solo exhibition of world-renowned New York-based Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA) presents four commissioned projects, including the most recent work in the artist’s Projects for Extraterrestrials series, which began in 1989. Trained in stage design at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, Cai Guo-Qiang’s projects are spectacular and theatrical gestures, embodying the ethos of action painting and a long history of creation/destruction strategies in terms of today’s complex (pyro)technical mechanisms. Using gunpowder as his medium, Cai creates large-scale drawings in a matter of seconds with the dramatic transformative potentials of this volatile material.
Mystery Circle: Explosion Event for The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2012). Photo on site for Art Observed by Megan Hoetger.
The Economist: Asia accounts for quarter of global auction revenue, “lion’s share is made up of art,” painting is most desirable medium [AO Newslink]
Zao Wou-Ki 02-01-65 (1965) Estimate: HK$8-12 million US$1-1.5 million. Price Realized: HK$20,820,000 $2,694,593
Christie’s Hong Kong Spring sale of Contemporary Chinese Art on May 29th, 2010 sold 36 works by artists such as Zao Wou-Ki, Zhan Wang, Cai Guo-Qiang, and Kim Dong Yoo for a combined total of HK$303 million or US$39 million, with important works still fetching prices above their estimated value and all works auctioned were sold. Both Akira Yamaguchi and Ryozo Kato set new artist records for their works with Yamaguchi’s work fetching HK$1,940,000 or US$251,081, and Kato’s work reaching HK$312,500 or US$40,125. Other works that went above the estimate are Andy Warhol‘s portraits of Mao that went for HK$1.5 million dollars above estimates.
According to Art Daily, Eric Chang, International Director of Asia Contemporary Art and Chinese 20th Century, said, “Today’s Evening Sale of Asian Contemporary and Chinese 20th Century Art achieved HK$303.4 million/US$39 million, three times the estimate and a 67% increase from our Spring Evening Sale last year.” Bloomberg reports that the market for Contemporary Asian art is slowly on the rise, although no where near as powerful a force as a few years ago.
On May 4, the exhibition titled “Peasant da Vincis” curated by the renowned American-Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang opened in Shanghai. “Peasant da Vincis,” featuring a combination of inventions by Chinese peasants and works by the artist that explore the subject of human creativity. It is also the inaugural show for Rockbund Art Museum, the first contemporary art museum in the historic riverfront area of Shanghai, known as the Bund. Architect David Chipperfield redesigned the interior to create a contemporary art museum in the historic building that originally housed one of the first museums in China.
More images and text after the jump…
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Futura, Jules de Balincourt, Dustin Yellin, Eric White, Tom Sachs, Shepard Fairey, Jeffrey Deitch, Lance Armstrong, Mark Parker, Geoff McFetridge, José Parlá, Dzine posing in front of a painting by Cai Guo Qiang; photo courtesy of Black Frame
A day before seven bicycles with frames designed by contemporary artists, and used by Lance Armstrong in his comeback season for July’s Tour de France, raised $1.3 million, an exhibition of artwork commissioned to benefit the legendary cyclist’s cancer foundation opened at Deitch Projects. Launched in Paris at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, STAGES- the exhibit comprised of commissioned works created by over twenty established contemporary artists, is currently on view at New York’s Deitch Projects. Artists involved include Cai Guo-Qiang, Rosson Crow, Shepard Fairey, KAWS, Yoshitomo Nara, Catherine Opie, Os Gemeos, Raymond Pettibon, Andreas Gursky, Richard Prince, Ed Ruscha and Tom Sachs. STAGES will run through November 21, 2009. AO interviews some of the artists to find out their personal connection to the cause of STAGES, their view on creating commissioned work and the story of their involvement with the project powered by Lance Armstrong Foundation and Nike and its goal of raising awareness of cancer.
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Rosson Crow in front of her piece “Texas Cycle Show”
Works presented in STAGES manifest not merely a vast array of mediums and stylistic approaches, they also speak of a multitude of equally appropriate paths the artists have taken in building the show.
Rosson Crow about STAGES: “This whole thing is incredible and overwhelming, it is a really awesome show with a great cause. Charity work is something that I love doing so this was a really cool opportunity. This painting that I did for the show is called ‘Texas Cycle Show’ and is based on an 1800′ cycle exposition. I made it Texas because both Lance and I are from Texas… kind of bringing the historical Texas vibe… and of course the bicycles I thought were perfect for a Lance Armstrong show [laughs]” When asked about any personal connections that the artist has with the cause, Rosson Crow comments that “it is hard to find anybody whose life has not been affected by cancer, so I think that everybody has a personal relationship to it in some way.”
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Yoshitomo Nara, “Fire” via STAGES
More text, images and interviews after the jump… (more…)
Ed Ruscha’s ‘Vital to the Core’ via STAGES
On view now at Emmanuel Perrotin in Paris is ‘STAGES,’ a fundraising exhibition organized by Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong, featuring artists such as Ed Ruscha, Shepard Fairey, Richard Prince, and a number of others. The exhibition runs concurrently with the Tour de France, which ends on Sunday, July 26th. In addition to the gallery exhibition, which is planned to tour the world after its run at Emmanuel Perrotin, Livestrong has teamed up with Nike and Supertouch to curate a line of artist-designed bikes for Lance to ride during the Tour. Those artists include KAWS, Yoshitomo Nara, and Damien Hirst, who designed the bike for the final stage of the Tour de France. ‘STAGES’ runs July 15-August 8, 2009 at Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin, after which it will open at the Armory Center in New York on October 2, according to the LA Times.
The Bike Shepard Fairey designed for Lance Armstrong via Supertouch
STAGES09
Hirst to Help Lance Armstrong’s Health Charity Raise $4 Million [Bloomberg]
Damien Hirst Has Designs on Lance Armstrong’s Bike [NY Times]
Nike Livestrong STAGES Exhibition [High Snobiety]
Preview: Lance Armstrong’s LIVESTRONG x Nike Stages Exhibition @ Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin [Arrested Motion]
Lance Armstrong x Nike Sportswear – “Stages” Touring Art Exhibition Supporting Livestrong [Arrested Motion]
Lance Armstrong x Nike Sportswear “Stages” Touring Art Exhibition [Hypebeast]
Lance Armstrong x Trek x Damien Hirst Stages Project Bike [Limited Hype]
Marc Newson for Lance Armstrong – TREK Art Bike [Freshness]
Lance Armstrong’s New Trek Madone Bikes By Kaws & Barry McGee [High Snobiety]
Tom Sachs‘ Lance’s TequilaBike For Girls [The World’s Best Ever]
Stages exhibition, Paris [Wallpaper]
Interview: KAWS @ Stages, Paris [DailyduJour]
AFC+: Will Damien Hirst Remind Lance Armstrong of His Mortality? [Art Fag City]
PARIS///LANCE ARMSTRONG’S TREK ART BIKES COME TO LIFE IN THE WINDOW OF COLETTE [Supertouch]
NEWS///LANCE ARMSTRONG SURGES BACK TO ACTION IN THE TOUR DE FRANCE ON A MARC NEWSON TREK TTX ART BIKE [Supertouch]
ANNOUNCING “STAGES”: LANCE ARMSTRONG’S SUPERTOUCH-CURATED ANTI-CANCER ART SHOW OPENING JULY 16TH [Supertouch]
Lance Armstrong rides bike decorated by Damien Hirst [Art Review]
L.A. artists lend a hand to Lance Armstrong [LA Times]
Livestrong x Stages | Recap [Limited Hype]
Trek Lance Armstrong STAGES Bike by Yoshitomo Nara [Hypebeast]
The bike Yoshitomo Nara designed for Lance Armstrong for the Tour de France via Hypebeast
more images and story after the jump…
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Gilbert and George’s ‘Hoi Polloi,’ part of their exhibition ‘Jack Freak Pictures’ via Arndt & Partner
Gilbert and George speak about friendlessness, bigotry in the art world, and their latest exhibition, ‘Jack Freak Pictures,’ opening in London at White Cube next week [Guardian]
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Damien Hirst turns down the Royal Academy’s offer to become a Royal Academician [Artdaily]
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Thief sentenced to two and half years in Oslo for the 2004 Munch ‘Scream’ Heist [NY Times]
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Haunch of Venison will close its Zürich gallery by 2010 [ArtNewspaper]
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After concerted effort by Eli Broad, MOCA announces that its financial troubles are over with a number of new gifts and trustees [LA Times] and LACMA also announces new trustees, including Dasha Zhukova, founder of Moscow’s Garage Centre [LA Times]
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The Metropolitan Museum of Art responds to economic crisis, cuts 357 positions [Crain’s]
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Titian’s ‘Triumph of Love’ via Artdaily
Director of Tate Britain Stephen Deuchar is appointed director of Art Fund [ArtReview] in related, the Tate Britain recently bought and secured for Britain Titian’s Triumph of Love [Artdaily] and, finally the Art Fund launched an “Art Saved” resource online [Art Knowledge News]
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At least 24 New York galleries have closed since the economic collapse, with a number closing for the summer [Artnet]
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Connoisseurs are buying increasingly rare Impressionist and Modern masterpieces [NYTimes]
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Why auctions may not be the best method for museums’ deaccessioning [Wall Street Journal]
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Cai Guo-Qiang and Shen Wei speaking Lincoln Center via WSJ
Choreographer Shen Wei and artist Cai Guo-Qiang discuss their role in the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremonies and how changing attitudes in China have affected their work [Wall Street Journal]
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ArtTactic’s Art Market Confidence Indicator shows increased confidence in the contemporary art market, with 2/3 of those survey predicting a rebound by 2011 [ArtTactic via The Art Collectors] and more cautious indicators of a rebound [Artnet]
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Ji Lee’s ‘Duchamp Reloaded’ via Wooster Collective
Duchampian street sculpture in front of MoMA [Wooster Collective]
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Bravo’s art reality show holds open calls and Paddy Johnson speaks with the casting director [Art Fag City]
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A work painted in 1623-24 by a fellow scholar depicts Rembrandt at 16 [TheIndependent]
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The Pietzch Collection, which includes many rare surrealist art works, opens to public display in Berlin [Monsters and Critics via Art Market Monitor]
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Adam Kimmel stands in front of a photo of Dan Colen as the Marlboro Man via Purple
Riffing on Richard Prince, fashion designer Adam Kimmel has Dan Colen as the Marlboro Man in a series of photos by the creator of the original ads, Jim Krantz [Purple]
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A look at what the latest auctions in London could mean for the outlook of the art market [Financial Times]
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How London’s proximity to emerging market art buyers from Middle East, Russia and Asia may now have negative effect [Wall Street Journal]
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Rachel Wardell, the first participant in Antony Gormley’s ‘One and Other’ via The GuardianUK
The first participants are announced in Antony Gormley’s ‘One and Other’ on the fourth plinth in Traflagar Square [Guardian]
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More Intelligent Life investigates the increased interest in Picasso’s late musketeer paintings and finds links between the artist’s pacifism, the mood of the 1960s and younger collectors today [Economist]
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A vandalized Banksy mural in Bristol via Bristol Evening Post
A popular Banksy mural in Bristol is vandalized as the Bristol Museum currently holds a major exhibition of the grafitti artist’s work [Bristol Evening Post via Arts Journal]
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Jeff Koons describes Michael Jackson as a “contemporary Christ figure” [Bloomberg]
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and Koons is now collaborating with watchmaker Ikepod to make a titanium watch [Newsweek]
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Terence Koh in his studio via Whitewall
Terence Koh in his all white studio in New York [Whitewall]
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Critic Jerry Saltz initiates a discussion with MoMA Chief Curator Ann Tempkin over the museum’s lack of female artists through Facebook [Edward Winkleman]
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A Holocaust conference including 46 nations urges more efforts to restitute art stolen by Nazis [Bloomberg]
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Tulips, Jeff Koons, 1995-2004 on loan to the embassy for the next decade, via artinthepicture
The second largest U.S. Embassy building has opened in Beijing at 600,000 square feet, with a reported $550M in building expenses by the San Francisco firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. On its grounds are works by notable American and Chinese contemporary artists including Jeff Koons, Cai Guo-Qiang, Louise Bourgeois, Robert Rauschenberg, Betty Woodman, Martin Puryear, Maya Lin, Yun-Fei Ji, and Hai Bo.
New Embassy Is a Firm U.S. Flag in China [NYSun]
Beijing US Embassy Opened August 7th [CNReviews]
U.S. Embassy in Beijing [Art 21]
U.S. Shortchanges Artists [Portfolio]
‘The Pyrotechnic Imagination’, watch Cai-Guo-Qiang create the gunpowder work inside the U.S. Embassy [NYTimes]
The US Embassy in Beijing Highlights Jeff Koons’s Art [Art Market Monitor]
Cai Guo-Qiang “I want to believe” via I Love This World
Cai Guo-Qiang has “I Want To Believe” at Beijing’s National Art Museum for the Olympics [Artdaily]
and the artist was also behind the pyrotechnics at the opening ceremony [art 21]
Electronic band Underworld produces an art exhibition [NYSun]
In the tail of an embezzlement inquiry, Guggenheim Bilbao admits to a $6.17M loss due to the purchase of Richard Serra works in dollars versus euros [The Art Newspaper]
In Bern, Switzerland Paul McCarthy’s work ‘Complex Shit’ – a massive, inflatable depiction of dog feces – breaks from its moorings and knocks out a power line and some windows before crashing into a children’s home [GuardianUK] more here [The Independent]
Stephanie Seymour (wife of Art Collector and Art in America owner Peter Brant) in Jeff Koons
for Gap; via Nylon
The Gap, working in close partnership with the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Art Production Fund, recently released a collection of 13 t-shirts designed by contemporary artists who have all been past Whitney Biennial participants. Jeff Koons, Chuck Close, Babara Kruger, Ashley Bickerton, Kiki Smith, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Marilyn Minter, Cai Guo-Qiang, Kenny Scharf, Glenn Ligon, Kerry James Marshall, Hanna Liden, and Sarah Sze are all participating.
Gap Partners with the Whitney to Launch Artist Edition T’s [Gap]
Gap Artist Edition T Shirts [LA Times]
Turning Shirts Into an Artforum [USA Today] (more…)
Anselm Keifer, Secret Life of Plants(2008) via Bloomberg
From April 15 to June 29, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London is presenting a unique exhibition on the subject of books in art or of books as art. “Blood on Paper” is an exploration of how artists have interpreted and utilized the book medium. The works range from the conventional book format to large-scale installations and sculptures, such as Anselm Keifer’s enormous book made of lead (pictured).
“Blood on Paper” [Victoria & Albert Museum]
“Bacon’s Trash, Hirst’s Furniture Become Books: Martin Gayford” [Bloomberg]
“The Writing on the Wall“ [Financial Times]
“Works That Speak Volumes” [Financial Times]
“Blood on Paper: the Art of the Book” [The Independent] (more…)
“Dog Test” by Robert Longo via Forbes
Longo Quoted on “Dog Test” Drawing Sold Recently in London [Forbes]
Forged Monet discovered last week in German Museum [Herald Tribune]
Chinese art market takes France’s third place standing [Art Newspaper]
Update: Cai Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim Museum [NYTimes]
Update: More Cai Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim [Wall Street Journal]
Update, Video: Guo-Qiang’s Gun-Powder Works [NYTimes via C-Monster]
Orginally £300, Banksy piece up for £150,000 [Guardian]
Two W. 25th St. gallery buildings sold for $48.75 million [The Real Deal]
“Electric Fountain” at the Rockefeller Center via NYTimes
3,390 bulbs light the electric fountain at NY’s Rockefeller Center [NYTimes]
On what it means to “bring in” a Work at Auction [NYSun]
Major Highway threatens artists’ haven in Marfa [Time via C-Monster]
Danish collector puts her Hirsts on view in Copenhagen [Art Newspaper]
A critical look at Cai Guo-Qaing’s Guggenheim exhibition [NYSun]
Scaffolding was built under the boat via The Guggenheim Museum
The Cai Guo-Qiang retrospective, “I Want to Believe,” opens February 22 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. The exhibit represents the first solo show by a Chinese-born artist at the Museum.
Scaling New Heights at the Guggenheim [The New York Sun]
Cai Guo-Qiang, I Want to Believe [Guggenheim Museum]
Cai Guo-Qiang [Art Observed]
Cai Guo-Qiang: 1st Chinese born artist with Guggenheim retrospective [New York Times]
New five-year contract for Lowry at MOMA (Not the MET) [The New York Times]
Ordway Prize, America’s Turner, announced; Driskell Prize also announced [ArtInfo]
Co-Head of I-Banking at Morgan Stanley named to Tate Board [Bloomberg]
Economist: German Expressionism is back [Economist via C-Monster]
Waning art sales spells cancellation for fledgling Duesseldorf art fair [Bloomberg]
Madrid’s famed “art triangle” adds a new cultural center to it’s roster [The Canadian Press]
