Cai Guo-Qiang: Saraab

December 5, 2011–May 26, 2012

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha

Black Ceremony, 2011. Realized outside Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, December 5, 2011, 3:00 pm, approximately 3 minutes. 8,300 smoke shells fitted with computer chips. Commissioned by Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art [Ephemeral]

Photos by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 1

Ninety-Nine Horses, 2011. Gunpowder on paper, gold-leafed resin models of horses. Gunpowder drawing: 400 x 1,800 cm, model horses: 14 x 24 x 5 cm. Commissioned by Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 2

Fragile, 2011. Gunpowder on 480 panels of porcelain. 318 x 1800 cm overall, approximately 30 x 39.75 cm each panel, 480 panels in total. 

Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Drawing for Black Ceremony
2011
Gunpowder on porcelain
119.25 x 120 cm overall, approximately 39.75 x 30 cm each panel, 12 panels total.
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011.

Photo by Lin Yi, courtesy Cai Studio.

Black Peony
2008
Gunpowder on porcelain
66.83 x 37.31 x 5.72 cm
Edition size: 20 (1/20 to 20/20), proofs: 3 AP (AP-1 to AP-3), 1 Prototype
Individually signed and numbered by the artist
Collection of the artist, various private collections

Edition 15/20, 2008.

Photo by I-Hua Lee, courtesy Cai Studio

Gallery 3

Flying Together, 2011. 27 life-sized replicas of falcons, one life-sized replica of camel.  Falcons: styrofoam and painted feathers; camel: resin, styrofoam, sheep hide. Dimensions variable. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 4

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Desert Hues
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as seven-panel screen
230 x 542.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Memories
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as nine-panel screen
230 x 697.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Shadow of Mosque
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as three-panel screen
230 x 232.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Nocturnal Flower
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as three-panel screen
230 x 232.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Flora on Porcelain
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as three-panel screen
230 x 232.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Frenzy of Flowers
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as three-panel screen
230 x 232.5 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Frieze
2011
Gunpowder on paper, mounted on wood as two-panel screen
230 x 155 x 2.8 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Mosque
2011
Gunpowder on paper
300 x 400 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 5

Endless, 2011.Three wooden boats, pool of water, wave-making machine, automatic fog machine. Houri boats: 620 x 100 x 56 cm each, Chinese boat: 800 x 250 x 180 cm. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 6

Route, 2011. Gunpowder on four sheets of paper, stones. 400 x 1200 cm overall, 400 x 300 cm each sheet. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Lin Yi, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 7

Al Shaqab, 2011. 32 minutes 50 seconds. Bedouin carpets, Sadou cushions, video projection.  Videography and editing by Zhang Keming. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 10

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10
1993
Gunpowder and ink on paper, 26-page folding album
55.25 x 988 x 2.54 cm opened
55.25 x 38.2 x 2.54 closed

Photo courtesy Cai Studio.

Danger Book: Suicide Fireworks (Unexploded Artist Proof)
2008
Gunpowder, rice paste, and matches on paper
75 x 102.8 x 2 cm opened
Unexploded Artist Proof. Edition size: 9 unique books, proofs: 2 AP (1 exploded, 1 unexploded), 1 Prototype. Individually titled and signed by the artist. Edition commissioned by Ivory Press, 2008.

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Drawing for Light Cycle: Explosion Project for Central Park
2003
Gunpowder on paper
49.8 x 60.6 cm

Photo by Lin Yi, courtesy Cai Studio.

Movement Cultivates Vitality
2004
Gunpowder on paper
76 x 119 cm

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Preliminary Drawing for MoMA project
2003
Gunpowder on paper
61 x 92.7 cm

Photo courtesy Cai Studio.

Preliminary Drawing for MoMA project
2003
Gunpowder on paper
61 x 92.7 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Preliminary Drawing for The Immensity of Heaven and Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 11
1991
Gunpowder and ink on paper
55.9 x 76.2 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Bigfoot’s Footprints: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 6
1990
Gunpowder and ink on paper
64.8 x 49.5 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Transient Rainbow: Preliminary Drawing for MoMA project
2003
Gunpowder on paper
54.61 x 76.2 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Transient Light Cycle
2005
Gunpowder on paper
93.98 x 76.2 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Spring, Light Cycle: Explosion Project for Central Park
2003
Gunpowder on paper
55.88 x 76.2 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Drawing for Centre Pompidou
2003
Gunpowder on paper
60.3 x 49.5 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

“Craters” Made by Humans for Their Own Planet: Looking at Paul Cézanne’s Mont Sainte-Victoire from a Distance
1990
Gunpowder and ink on paper
63.5 x 92.71 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

“Craters” Made by Humans for Their Own Planet: at the Remains of Le Couvent Des Minimes
1990
Gunpowder and ink on paper
92.71 x 63.5 cm
“Craters” Made by Humans for Their Own Planet: Pourrières
1990
Gunpowder and ink on paper
93.98 x 63.5 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Preliminary Drawing for Myth: Shooting the Suns: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 21
1994
Gunpowder on paper
92.71 x 62.23 cm

Photo by Xiaoli Ma, courtesy Cai Studio.

Garment A from Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake
1998/2011
Gunpowder on Pleats Please garment
Approximately 142.24 x 33.02 cm

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Garment B from Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake
1998/2011
Gunpowder on Pleats Please garment
Top 55.9 x 45.7 cm, skirt 93.3 cm

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gallery 12

Exhibition view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photos by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Fetus Movement
2001
Oil on canvas
230 x 326 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Mushroom Cloud
2001
Oil on canvas
230 x 183 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Sun
2001
Oil on canvas
76 x 107 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Sun
2001
Oil on canvas
107 x 107 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Sun
2001
Oil on canvas
91 x 122 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Extension
2001
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 51 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Sun
2001
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 51 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Shooting the Sun
2001
Oil on canvas
40.5 x 51 cm

Photo by Carlos Mendes, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Transient Rainbow
2002
Oil on canvas
150 x 190 cm

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Impression Oil Drawing: Bombing the Taiwan Province Museum of Art
2001
Oil on canvas
76 x 61 cm

Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio.

Gunpowder Test for Drawings in Doha
2011
Gunpowder on paper
155 x 205 cm
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Photo by Lin Yi, courtesy Cai Studio.

Exterior

Homecoming, 2011. 62 carved rocks. Dimensions variable. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art

Installation view at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, 2011. Photo by Lin Yi, courtesy Cai Studio.