Cai Guo-Qiang

Cai Guo-Qiang, originally from China and now living in New York, is currently one of the most highly sought after artists on the international scene. He has exhibited around the world and was recipient of the grand international prize at the 1999 Venice Biennale. Cai Guo-Qiang is celebrated for both his outdoor public projects using components as varied as fire, dynamite, kites, and jacuzzi baths and for his elegant gallery installations using paper, gunpowder, rocks, and medicinal herbs. The Contemporary Art Gallery and the Charles H. Scott Gallery are collaborating with Cai Guo-Qiang on projects conceived specifically for each gallery. 

The Contemporary Art Gallery exhibition has two compo­nents. One takes place at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, the first full-scale classical garden constructed outside of China. One of its main features is a pavilion-crowned, simu­lated mountain comprised of rocks shipped from China. Cai Guo-Qiang will install fog machines, fabricate clouds, and add other elements to this "mountain" to create an artificial misty landscape that will be painted on site by three professional ink­brush painters. In China it is common for artists to use minia­ture garden constructions or small sculptures as source materi­al for painted landscapes, an approach vastly different to that of the West. The theatrical presentation will exaggerate these processes by turning them into a "performance" that applies traditional Chinese concepts to contemporary Western ones. This component of the project will take place on July 24th, 25th and 26th from 11 am to 3 pm. and will be open to the public for viewing each day. Members of the Contemporary Art Gallery will have free admission to the garden. 

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden project will function as the genesis for the exhibition at the Contemporary Art Gallery in the B.C. Binning Gallery. The ink-brush paintings produced in the gar­den will be displayed in the gallery accompanied by fog machines and clouds. There will also be audio/visual documen­tation of the Sun Yat-Sen project so that visitors will have a fuller context in which to view the exhibition. 

Cai Guo-Qiang's exhibition *Impressionistic Drawing* will take place at the Charles H. Scott Gallery from August 3rd to September 23rd. 

These exhibitions are funded by the Vancouver Foundation, Opus Framing and Art Supplies, and the BC Arts Council. 


Three black ink landscape paintings are mounted on the gallery wall. They are long hanging scroll paintings. The moon above bear woods, bamboo trees, and rocky mountains are depicted in the painting.

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Twelve coloured photographs are assembled on a sheet of white paper. They record different art practices that took place at different locations and times. Some photos were taken outside.

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This is an installation shot of Cai Guo Qiang’s solo exhibition at CAG. This show includes black hanging scroll paintings, photographs, a video work, and a sculpture. 

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Cai Guo Qiang and two assistants are painting a large landscape painting on a wall. This installation work is titled ‘Performing Chinese Ink Painting.’ A large audience stands behind to see works.  

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A large black ink landscape painting is mounted on a gallery wall. It shows an aerial view of mountain tops. A small machine placed on the floor emits white mist to the front of this paintings.

Cai Guo-Qiang

Exhibitions