Tuesday with Susette and Cai Guo-Qiang

Kevin and I (and Susette) finally made it to the Guggenheim. Interestingly, it was almost exactly 4 years ago that we first decided to visit- but arrived too late. (We were in town for Lance and Karina's wedding and their anniversary is on Thursday.)

I guess it really doesn't matter that my camera was broken or that no one is permitted to photograph inside the Guggenheim. Both create the same reality. I have no images of my own to share with you the exceptionally cool works of Cai Guo-Qiang. Quick look here before the exhibit is gone and you no longer can!! Cai works in sculpture, painting/drawing, and explosions. Yes. In fact, many of his drawings were done with gunpowder. Wow!

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The first exhibit that confronts you- whether you decide to start at the top and work down (like we did) or the bottom and work up- is a series of identical white sedans floating up from the floor and pierced with numerous rays of light. (I've only just now learned that they represent a car bomb. Wow. Cai must have been a bit of a scary kid to raise. You've always got to watch the matches!) It is funny. There is nothing violent about it- just beautiful.

Starting from the top then are Cai's gunpowder drawings and video tapes playing of him making these drawing and making his performances of explosions. I must admit I was less excited about seeing him make a black rainbow out of smoke over Edinburgh than I was to watch him set up the gunpowder and fire crackers to make his portrait of (some guy who I couldn't hope to remember.) Unless you've looked at the Guggenheim site, you probably couldn't guess at the beauty and complexity that can be created by explosives. Kevin and I had exactly the same thought. Where can we get some really big paper and gunpowder? Oh, and a hoard of assistants to stamp out the excess flames once the explosions are complete. I'm guessing Fitzgibbon isn't zoned for "art".

Intellectually, however, I was taken by his massive explosive exhibitions he titled "For Extraterrestrials". These were meant to be viewed from space. Cool huh? Just wait! He has a plan for a similar set of booming art "For Mankind"- to be set off on the moon for us to view. He hasn't gotten there yet, however. (I'm wondering if it is possible to set off normal explosives on the moon. Don't they require oxygen?)

Winding down the next big exhibition is a series of sculptures of rent or tax collectors in China. Scary people intimidating old men, women, children, etc. These were originally created in China by Mao celebrating the new society of communism. (I hope I'm getting this correct.) But, in Cai's exhibit, the sculptures were in various states of "not finished". Some were only the metal armatures. Some had only a portion of the clay attached. Those that were finished had never been fired, so as the clay dries it cracks and pieces fall off. I'm guessing its a commentary on Cai's feelings about the message that these pieces originally were designed to convey.

You can tell I was never an art student, can't you? Sigh.

This is followed by sculptures of dozens of wolves that run for hundreds of feet up the spiral of the Guggenheim. As they travel further they begin to ascend- but their journey is abruptly ended by a clear glass plate. Dogs smack the glass and tumble to a heap on the floor. Then, come the hundred tigers- all pierced with arrows. (Note- the wolves and tigers are "life sized and created from sheep skin". They look very real- except the tigers have dog teeth (now that I'm thinking back on it- I think it was all the same mold) and (I'm sure) they have dog penises and scrotums. This is what happens when you take a veterinarian to an exhibit.)

Other large sculptures- a huge, suspended boat which is similarly "arrowed". A real wrecked ship that has been reassembled on a beach of broken ceramic plates and ceramic religious icons (gods or goddesses- I don't remember. I think they were Buddhist.) He has created a "trip" through time looking at his works in one annex. This is navigated inside a bark canoe that floats down a meandering, suspended stream. Really. You can walk around to see the same displays- but if you are patient enough you can wait in line to ride in the little one person boat. Not surprisingly, most of those I saw riding were under 4 and 1/2 feet tall.

After the museum we walked through Central Park and admired the spring blooms. Tulips, daffodils, flowering trees and bushes. It was a glorious day. Susette had to leave then, however. She and Marea had agility class. So, Kevin and I ducked into F. A. O. Schwartz- and then headed to Broadway.