《蔡國强圖錄》扉頁火藥畫 Gunpowder Drawings on Cai Guoqiang’s Catalogue
2002
蔡國强 Cai Guoqiang
火藥導火索，精装书
Gunpowder, fuse, book
28 x 44 cm / 11 x 17.3 in
$ 28,000 ~ 35,000
“I remember I brought some gunpowder and set them off at your place… Artists always do whatever they like.”
“我记得我又拿了一点火药，到你家去给你炸一下...... 艺术家喜欢做什么就做什么。”
This is a catalogue for Cai Guoqiang’s exhibition at the Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporainin Paris in 2000. However, this is not an ordinary catalogue. On the first page, what caught the eye immediately, is a piece of Cai’s iconic gunpowder painting, leaving layers of winding scorch symmetrically, just like an ink and wash landscape fainted on paper. This small but extremely exquisite work demonstrates the artist’s mastery of gunpowder as his medium, as well as his breathtaking creativity and skills. In 1999, under the leadership of Zheng, Liang Jiehua Art Foundation sponsored Cai’s showcase at the 48th Venice Biennale with the installation work Venice 's Rent Collection Courtyard. It was awarded the Golden Lion, which is the one and only time that a Chinese artist has won this award till now. In 2000, under the leadership of Zheng, Art Beatus Gallery exhibited at Art Basel with Cai’s large-scale explosion performance work Year of Dragon. After the light and sound of the blast, the exhibition hall was filled with exclamation and applause. In 2001, through Zheng’s connection, Keith Wallace, the chief editor of YISHU, invited Cai to Vancouver to work on two exhibitions at Charles T. Scott Gallery and the Contemporary Art Gallery of Vancouver. The reunion with Zheng in Vancouver made them both excited. At the farewell party, Cai offered Zheng his exhibition catalogue as a gift. Since the catalogue is a memorable but not particularly expensive gift, Zheng readily accepted. Before it was handed to Zheng, Cai put the book on the floor, opened the cover, and ignited the fuse that was already pasted on the title page with a lighter. The gunpowder blasted instantly, a few seconds later, Cai opened the book, a smooth, striking, symmetrical pattern was left on the pages. Amidst the surprise applause of everyone, Cai put this unexpected but astonishing piece of art into the hands of Zheng.
这是蔡国强2000年在巴黎卡地亚基金会办展览的一本图录，但又不是一本普通的图录。图录第一页是他标志性的一副对称的火药画。蜿蜒的导火线牵引着爆破带来的层次分明的灼痕，又像在纸上晕开的水墨山水，笔走龙蛇，气势不凡。这件尺寸不大却精致至极的作品让人不禁叹服于艺术家对火药炉火纯青的掌控。1999年，郑胜天主持的梁洁华艺术基金会赞助蔡国强在威尼斯创作《威尼斯收租院》，获得了第48届威尼斯双年展国际大奖，成为迄今为止唯一获此殊荣的中国艺术家。2000年，郑胜天带领Art Beatus画廊参加巴塞尔艺博会，邀请蔡国强献上大型爆破作品《龙年》。爆破的光影过后，一条飞龙凌空而起，赢得满场喝彩。2001年，郑胜天协助Keith Wallance邀请蔡国强来访温哥华，在温哥华当代美术馆与艾米莉·卡美术设计学院斯科特画廊（Charles T. Scott Gallery）分别进行了两场展览。在郑家举行的欢送会上，蔡国强拿出这本画册，翻开封面，用打火机点燃了早已贴在扉页上的导火线。引燃的火药瞬间在合上的书页上留下了对称的图案，在众人惊喜的掌声中，蔡国强将这件不寻常的礼物赠送给了郑胜天。