The Spirit of Painting. Cai Guo-Qiang at the Prado

October 25, 2017–March 4, 2018

Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid

Curated by Miguel Zugaza, Director of the Prado Museum; Co-Curator: Alejandro Vergara, Senior Curator at the Prado Museum

Image: Ignition of gunpowder painting The Spirit of Painting at the Salón de Reinos (Hall of Realms), Madrid, 2017.
Image and video © Museo Nacional del Prado

The Spirit of Painting, 2017. Gunpowder on canvas, 300 x 1800 cm.
Commissioned by Museo Nacional del Prado

© Museo Nacional del Prado

Rise (Qi)

Exhibition view, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid, 2017. Photos by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio.

Day and Night in Toledo
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
260 x 600 cm
Private Collection

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Painting El Greco’s Apostolado, Nos. 8, 9, 6, 3, 10, 7
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
152.5 x 244 cm, each

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.3
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
122 x 122 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.6
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
91.5 x 91.5 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.8
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
91.5 x 91.5 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.9
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
150 x 150 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Development (cheng)

Exhibition view, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid, 2017. Photos by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio.

The Distant Clouds
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
360 x 300 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Black Ceremony
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
300 x 450 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.4
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
122.3 x 152.5 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

In Search of El Greco No.7
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
122 x 122 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Blue
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
183 x 152.5 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Shift (Zhuan)

Exhibition view, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid, 2017. Photos by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio.

Mountain in Heat
2016
Gunpowder on canvas
239 x 450 cm
Private Collection

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Last Carnival
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
280 x 750 cm
Private Collection

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Shooting
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
360 x 150 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Lust
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
183 x 152.5 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Black Poppy
2016
Gunpowder on canvas, nine panels
152.5 x 1097 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

The Spirit of Painting
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
300 x 1800 cm
Commissioned by Museo Nacional del Prado

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Alchemist
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
240 x 200 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Unification (He)

Exhibition view, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid, 2017. Photos by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio.

Salón de Reinos…
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
360 x 600 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Valley in Heat
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
300 x 450 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Palmyra
2017
Gunpowder on canvas
240 x 450 cm

Photo by Yvonne Zhao, courtesy Cai Studio

Archive Annex

Exhibition view, Museo Nacional Del Prado, Madrid, 2017. Photos by Wen-You Cai, courtesy Cai Studio.

Classmate
1982
Oil on canvas
78.5 x 49.5 cm

Photo by Ron Amstutz, courtesy Cai Studio

Village by the Mountain
1983
Acrylic on cardstock
39.2 x 32.7 cm

Photo by Ron Amstutz, courtesy Cai Studio

Cai Ruiqin (b. 1935 – d. 2016, Quanzhou, China)

Untitled (Matchbox Drawings)
Unknown
Ink, pen, and pencil on cardboard matchboxes
30.48 x 22.86 cm
Cai Guo-Qiang Collection

Photo courtesy Cai Studio

Cai in Toledo in July 19, 2009
2009
Pen on paper
21.6 x 27.9 cm

Photo courtesy Cai Studio