Cai Guo Qiang And Its Value In The Contemporary Art Assessment

Preface: A summarization of the logic circumstances in which the Chinese contemporary artists are called "People in the Third Space"I Chinese artists who resided abroadCai Guoqiang, Huang Yongping, Xiu Bing and Gu Wenda are all famous overseas artists, they've participated in the mainstream of the Western art system successfully by means of their own. Their pursuits for further development overseas started from late 80s to early 90s. As a result, those Chinese artists got the special identity called "People in the Third Space" because of the maintenance of the dominant art system in the West.II "The Third Space" and "The post-Orientalism"Chapter One: Cai Guoqiang and his artChapter Two: The misunderstanding to Cai Guoqiang's creative pracrice.Chapter Three: "Post-colonialism"? "Post-orientalism"? Are we really "Post-Colonized" absolutely?I Cai Guoqiang's not a "toady" to the WestII "Construct abroad, make progress home" can be an effective strategy Chapter Four: The "symbol" is merely an appearance—The spiritual connotation in Cai guoqiang'sartI The Chinese consciousness by Western means —Toreinforce the dialogue between Oriental art and Western art, Thecrystallization of Chinese and the Western wisdomJust like what Cai Guoqiang said: "I love Chinese culture and history, however, it was Western culture that enlightened me, which made me more vigorous and creative. I think there're no national boundaries in wealth, those enlightened things should be absorbed in any case."i The natural, simple and unadorned, magnificent scenery—Thehighest esthetic judgement of ancient China: Simplicity and Sense of nature ii The "Taoism" ideology in CaiGuoqiang's art iii Dhyana sect, Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Beuys iv The infinite possibility and the un-replaceable quality of pure spirit in artv A large Stage—The creative concept and tone of creative workII Cai Guoqiang's art is pure visual and sensiblei The purity in Cai Guoqiang's artii The pure visual quality in Cai Guoqiang's artiii The pure sense in Cai Guoqiang's art1. Reason and sense2. Conception and senseIII The fountainhead of Cai Guoqiang's "Explosion Art" due to his fanatical love for gunpowder, not the so-called "Ancestorsselling "i The gunpowder: Cai Guoqiang created new meanings of Chineseancient culture against the Western background ii The effect of "construction" in the process of "destruction" The gunpowder, one of the "Four Great Inventions" of ancient China, is not only a worldwide-accepted material, but also one member of the "Five Elements" in China. While making people feel cordial, it stimulates endless imaginations of people of different nationalities and races. The magical power of this kind of medium oriented from the particularity of its symbolism of the rise of human civilization, the encouragement for the will of mankind, nevertheless, it finally became the greatest self-exterminating threat to all human beings.IV Cai Guoqiang's famous saying "Play with art, and live aninteresting life"Cai Guoqiang continued the thinking of Marcel Duchamp, blurred the boundary between art and lifei The highest wisdom lies in the greatest freedom—The art of"Playing"ii The absolute ego is also the outlet of spirit—Cai Guoqiang andMaurizio Cattelaniii The finite nature and infinite character of freedomV The connection between tradition and modernity in CaiGuoqiang's worki Cai Guoqiang applied both Chinese traditional spirit and modern media to his workFor instance, the large-size fireworks design for the APEC conference in 2001, Shang Hai.ii Cai Guoqiang re-expounded history with absolute new conception(i) The famous "disturbance" of Cai Guoqiang's work named "Venice's Rent Collection Courtyard". Cai Guoqiang put emphasis on the "process" of seeing "creating" the sculptures, which had taken place of the old conception of "seeing" the sculptures only. Cai guoqiang has re-explained the historic conduct in the special period of time called "Culture Revolution" in china with post-modernism concept.(ii) Cai Guoqiang's another piece of work named "Bring back home to Venice what Marco Polo forgot", which created to commemorate Marco Polo's journey from China to Venice 700 years ago, was a great idea. It's like the dislocation of tine and space, pursuing for the lucky coincidence.(iii) The work "Dragons call, wolves cry, Cheng Ji Sihan's Boat" penetrated through the connection between history and modernity vertically, and expressed the power relations between Asia and the West horizontally.(iv) The work "Project to extend the Great Wall by 10,000 meters" furthered the ideal of history and reality.VI The conception-exceeded cultural identity of Cai GuoqiangCai Guoqiang's forever Utopia—A nationalist and an internationalist whohas traveled beyond the concept of time and space. Cai Qioqiang's art involves in various forward position problems of contemporary art, such as: the relationship between human beings and nature, tradition and modernity, Orient and the West, and then, exceeded those limits instinctively. VII The relationship between high art lite and popular culture inCai Guoqiang's artCai Guoqiang's shortened the distance between high art and popular culture. Furthered Duchamp's concept of "Life' art." And Beuys' "Social Sculpture".In a word, it is obvious that Cai Guoqiang's art is not simply knocking together the ''Chinese traditional symbols", In fact, it's not that simple at all.Concluding remarks: My view on the present situation ofChinese contemporary artI "To Colonize" and "Be colonized" is a non-art problemIn my opinion, art should be appreciated from purer perspective, not from the dimension such as politics, economy or military affairs. The so called "Post-colonialism" is the result of the weak position of Chinese contemporary art in the contemporaneous international art stage at present. The slogan such as "Throw 'Post-orientalism' away" and "Oppose to 'Post-colonialism' "will be proved to make no differences. The weak status of Chinese contemporary art, which formed spontaneously, is a surmountable historical phase. And what really make sense at the moment is to reinforce the dialogue between China and the West. It could be more beneficial for us if we choose to keep contact with the other part of the world. Cai Guoqiang has devoted himself to the interflow in culture and art between China and the West. At present, I guess, To hold up "China brand" can be fairly beneficial. The purpose is not to flatter on foreigners, but to develop ourselves. It's just like what Cai Guoqiang said: "If I shouldn't raise the 'China brand' , ought I to lift an 'American brand' ?"II The sluggish criticism led to lack of prompt feedback duringour process of art developmentWe ought to improve the quality of art criticism, which could give prompt and proper guide to creative practices.III We must learn to gain more actual strength if we want to beoutstanding against "Post-modernism" backgroundBoth language intensity and focus we concern should be much more stronger and precise of course it's not an easy process. The very thing that is of the most significance is not "Post-orientalism" or "Post-colonialism", but the capacities of creating the most splendid works. And then, history will give the answer. It's a natural course.IV Confronting with the entire international art stage, Chinese contemporary art has both problems and hopes...