Ramble in the Cosmos—From Primeval Fireball Onward

The National Art Center, Tokyo

June 29–August 21, 2023

Curated by NACT Director General, Eriko Osaka

Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9, 1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as eight-panel folding screen
6 ft. 6 3/4 in. x 20 ft. 12 in. (200 x 640 cm)
Photo by Kenryou Gu, courtesy Cai Studio

Exhibition view of Ramble in the Cosmos—From Primeval Fireball Onward,The National Art Center, Tokyo, 2023.
Photos by Kenryou Gu, Wen-You Cai and Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Space No. 1
1988
Gunpowder on paper; mirror
5 ft. 5 3/8 in. x 34 11/16 in. (166 x 88 cm)

Photo courtesy Cai Studio

Earth SETI Base: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 0
1991
Coarse paper, ink, soil
7 ft. 4 5/8 in. x 6 ft. 10 11/16 in. (225 x 210 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

I Am an Extraterrestrial, Project for Meeting with Tenjin (Heavenly Gods): Project for Extraterrestrials No. 4
1990
Gunpowder and ink on paper mounted on canvas
7 ft. 5 9/16 in. x 5 ft. 11 11/16 in. (227.4 x 182 cm)

Photo by Imamura Kaoru

Human Abode: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 1
1989
Gunpowder on paper
6 ft. 11 7/8 in. x 5 ft. 11/16 in. (213 x 154 cm)

Photo courtesy Cai Studio

Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9
1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as eight-panel folding screen
6 ft. 6 3/4 in. x 20 ft. 12 in. (200 x 640 cm)

Photo by André Morin, courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

Inverted Pyramid on the Moon: Project for Humankind No. 3
1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as eight-panel folding screen
6 ft. 6 3/4 in. x 20 ft. 12 in. (200 x 640 cm)

Photo by André Morin, courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

Bigfoot’s Footprints: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 6
1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as eight-panel folding screen
6 ft. 6 3/4 in. x 20 ft. 12 in. (200 x 640 cm)

Photo by André Morin, courtesy Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain

The Moving One-Kilometer Berlin Wall: Tourism Project for Berlin
2023
Gunpowder on glass and mirror, mounted on wood as a seven-panel folding screen
6 ft. 7 13/16 in. x 18 ft. 11 15/16 in. (202.6 x 578.9 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Canvas on the Moon: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 38
2023
Gunpowder on glass and mirror, mounted on wood as a seven-panel folding screen
6 ft. 7 13/16 in. x 18 ft. 11 15/16 in. (202.6 x 578.9 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

The Annunciation of cAI™
2023
Gunpowder on glass and mirror, mounted on wood as a seven-panel folding screen
6 ft. 7 13/16 in. x 18 ft. 11 15/16 in. (202.6 x 578.9 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

The Immensity of Heaven and Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 11
1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on canvas; refrigerator
5 ft. 11 11/16 in. x 14 ft. 11 3/16 in. (182 x 455 cm)

Photo courtesy Cai Studio

Humanity’s Epitaph: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 13
2020
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as six-panel screen
7 ft. 6 9/16 in. x 15 ft. 3 1/8 in. (230 x 465 cm)

Photo by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio

Nostalgia for Homeland: Project for Humankind No. 4
2020
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as four-panel screen
7 ft. 6 9/16 in. x 10 ft. 2 1/16 in. (230 x 310 cm)

Photo by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio

Peaceful Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 18
2020
Gunpowder and ink on paper, mounted on wood as three-panel screen
7 ft. 6 9/16 in. x 7 ft. 7 9/16 in. (230 x 232.5 cm)

Photo by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio

QMoCA’s Universe
2022
Gunpowder on glass
6 ft. 2 1/2 in. x 6 ft. 11 1/2 in. x 2 in. (189.23 x 212.09 x 5.08 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Return to Darkness
2021
Gunpowder on glass and mirror
6 ft. 1 1/16 in. x 5 ft. 1 3/16 in. x 1 1/2 in. (185.58 x 155.42 x 3.81 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Non-Brand 5
2019
Gunpowder on glass and mirror
6 ft. 1 1/16 in. x 5 ft. 1 3/16 in. x 1 1/2 in. (185.58 x 155.42 x 3.81 cm)

Photo by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio

Frolicking on Ice in the Galaxy
2020
Gunpowder on glass and mirror
6 ft. 8 3/4 in. x 30 ft. 1/4 in. (205 x 915 cm)

Photo by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio

Encounter with the Unknown No. 2
2022
Gunpowder on glass and mirror
6 ft. 9 15/16 in. x 6 ft. 1 in. x 1 1/2 in. (208.12 x 185.42 x 3.81 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Suns
2001
Oil on canvas
31 1/8 x 40 3/4 x 2 in. (78.9 x 103.5 x 5 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Encounter with the Unknown
2023
Kinetic light installation (castillo towers with motors, LED lights, and computer-programmed control software, AR realized by E.I.ART)
16 ft. 4 7/8 in. x 62 ft. 4 1/16 in. x 72 ft. 2 3/16 in. (500 x 1900 x 2200 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Drawing for Footprints of History
2008
Gunpowder on paper
13 ft. 1 1/2 in. x 108 ft. 3 1/4 in. (400 x 3300 cm)

Photo by Mengjia Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio