Oct 21, 2016 after several attempts spanning decades and continents, artist cai guoqiang embarked once again to construct a near 1,700 foot firework ladder into the sky. Sundance documentary sky ladder puts chinese artist cai guo. Kevin macdonald last king of scotland begins with a brief history of fireworks, discovered by chinese alchemists searching for the elixir of immortality. Known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, chinese artist cai guoqiang creates his most ambitious project yet. This film veers away from detailing the steps taken during the many attempts towards this piece to lay. The art of cai guoqiangnetflix after several attempts spanning decades and continents, artist cai guoqiang embarked once again to construct a near 1,700 foot firework ladder into the sky. The art documentary is essentially about the triumph of creative spirit.
It is a blazing ladder floating in the air, but lasting less than three minutes. The art of cai guoqiang, released on netflix october 14, goes in a slightly different direction. It celebrates the art and ambition of a guoqiang, who paints images in the sky using colorful fireworks. The art of cai guoqiang, which received its european premier at the london film festival, showcases cais exquisite gunpowder art, which he says explores eastern philosophy and. Sharing his thoughts on the new documentary, cai commented. Cai guoqiang is an electrifying artist who creates massive drawings from fireworks, meant to unite eastern philosophy and contemporary social issues. Aug 12, 2015 cai guoqiang sends flaming sky ladder soaring 500 meters in the air all images courtesy of cai studio. The film takes a look at a revolutionary new contemporary artist who creates art that is beautiful, explosive, and can only be experienced in a singular moment. Artist cai guoqiang authentically portrayed in netflixs sky.
There is an irresistible, herzogian flavor to kevin macdonalds new documentary, sky ladder. Sundance documentary sky ladder puts chinese artist cai. His father, cai ruiqin, was a calligrapher and traditional painter who worked in a bookstore. Chineseborn artist cai guoqiang first gained attention with his eyecatching canvases that combined symbols and narratives from traditional chinese culture with the scorch marks of burnt gunpowder. When he finally realised it in 2015 after 20 years and three failed attempts, a majestic 500metre ladder of gold light ascended into the night sky over the huiyu island harbour, not far from cais hometown in fujian province. Along with telling his story of artistic success, macdonalds film specifically documents guoqiang as he tries to create his most demanding project yet, the sky laddera firework display that would ascend 1,650 feet into the air. Known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, chinese artist cai. A portrait of an ambitious and often personally conflicted environmental artist, sky ladder has a lot in common with the likes of rivers and tides and the maysles brothers and charlotte zwerin s christo films, in that it creates a permanent cinematic record of work designed to be ephemeral.
The film was coproduced by wendi deng as well as idg capital global chairman xiong xiaoge and premiered in the world documentary category at sundance in 2016. As an adolescent, cai witnessed the social effects of the cultural revolution. Kevin macdonalds superbly constructed, luminous film captures for posterity the brilliance of an artist whose ephemeral work is, by its nature, completely of the. The film shows my past and how i function things a lot of people dont want to admit, or dont want to show. The art of cai guoqiang follows the continuing ascent of this chineseborn, new yorkbased artist as he works in different mediums for different.
Produced by wendi murdoch and fisher stevens, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker kevin macdonald, sky ladder is the first featurelength documentary about the artist. Its this piece that becomes the crux of the film and the lens through which cais motivation is revealed. Academy awardwinning filmmaker kevin macdonalds the last king of scotland. It will play the sundance film festival five more times on january 22nd at 8. Creating ambitious signature pieces on the largest imaginable scales, cais. The art of cai guoqiang can be seen in select theaters and on netflix on october 14, 2016 and will have a european premiere next week.
As a result, cai guoqiang was exposed early on to western literature as well as traditional chinese art forms. Creating ambitious signature pieces on the largest imaginable scales, cai s. Sky ladder may not fully penetrate the mystery of cais artistic identity, but it ends with the poignant suggestion that the most significant. Mar 05, 2017 connecting the earth to the rest of the universe was cai guo qiangs childhood dream. Produced by oscarwinner fisher stevens the cove, wendi deng, and hugo shong. The art of cai guoqiang 2016 which portrays the life and practice of contemporary chinese artist cai guoqiang, known for his spectacular installations and the use of gunpowder cai guoqiang b.
The art of cai guo qiang is the story of a unique artist at a pivotal moment in his life and times. The film was released by netflix on october 14, 2016. The execution of this 500meter ladder was the subject of the netflix documentary sky ladder. Besides playing on the festival circuit, in art houses and on television, the film is sure to show at the many museums and art fairs. The art of cai guoqiang 2016 tvma 1h 19m documentaries known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, chinese artist cai guoqiang creates his most ambitious project yet in this breathtaking documentary. Two surprising movies are totally dominating netflix right. Christmas in a day 20 marley 2012 life in a day 2011 my enemys enemy 2007 touching the void 2003 one day in september 1999 discussion guide sky ladder.
The narrative of the film isnt entirely dedicated to sky ladder but it remains a. Oct 14, 2016 today, netflix will be releasing its documentary focusing on chinese contemporary artist cai guoqiang, sky ladder. Macdonald had previously won an oscar for best documentary for his film one day in. Oct 10, 2016 but almost immediately after cai put the apec commission to bed, he redoubled his efforts on the secret project that would be called sky ladder 2015one that would completely circumvent the countrys government. Coils fire off, tracing the path of a ladder across the waters of huiyu island harbor and then reaching into the sky. The art of cai guoqiang is the story of a unique artist at a pivotal moment in his life and times. In 1996, artist cai guoqiang was the first person with a chinese passport to enter the. The art of cai guoqiang is a narrative documentary film directed by academy award winner kevin macdonald and produced by wendi deng murdoch, hugo shong, and fisher stevens.
Oct 12, 2016 this being an art doc, theres naturally a lot of chinstrokey subtextual analysis of guoqiangs work from bespectacled art world intelligentsia types. The art of cai guoqiang his experience comes to the fore, constructing a film that packs into a feature length running time an impactful and engaging look at this fine subject. The 70minute feature will debut as a netflix original film, and will be available in over 190 countries starting october 14, 2016. The art of cai guo qiang was shot by wes anderson collaborator robert yeoman, who captures the beautiful, cacophonous even terrifying explosions, and the more. There is an irresistible, herzogian flavor to kevin macdonald s new documentary, sky ladder.
The art of cai guoqiang was shot by wes anderson collaborator robert yeoman, who captures the beautiful, cacophonous even. Most famous for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 beijing summer olympics, cai guoqiang explores the connections between the human and the cosmic, destruction and creation, the eternal and the fleeting. The documentary told the story of cai s rise to global success through interviews with the artist, family, friends, colleagues, and critics. Sky ladder will benefit from cais popularity worldwide. Artist cai guoqiang authentically portrayed in netflixs. This portrait of an artists process fuses family and history to cais spectacularly expressive art of gunpowder pyrotechnics. Cai enjoys the challenge of addressing difficulties that arise in his art projects and believes there is no failure or success in art. The art of cai guoqiang, oscar winner kevin macdonald aims to bring the sundance film festival a. Guoqiang lays claim to being the first artist in history to have a single artwork seen by more than one billion people, having created a firework sculpture. Along with telling his story of artistic success, macdonalds film specifically documents guoqiang as he tries. Now living in new york with his family, guoqiang stages audacious and jawdropping largescale art projects involving fireworks.
Trace the rise of contemporary artist cai guoqiang from childhood in maos china to global art world superstar, and join his quest to realize his lifelong obsession. With ian buruma, guoqiang cai, wenyou cai, wenhao cai. Sky ladder is the name of cais masterwork, a halfkilometrelong, vertical lattice of fire and smoke, 21 years in the making. Oscarwinning filmmaker kevin macdonald chronicles the making of the ripacrossthesky fireworks of worldrenowned contemporary artist cai guoqiang. The art of cai guoqiang is as fleeting and elegant as the gunpowder events mounted by cai guoqiang. The film shows my past and how i functionthings a lot of people dont want to admit, or dont want to show. Today, netflix will be releasing its documentary focusing on chinese contemporary artist cai guoqiang, sky ladder. The art of cai guoqiang 2016 tvma 1h 19m criticallyacclaimed documentaries known for his spectacular pyrotechnic displays, chinese artist cai guoqiang creates his most ambitious project yet in this breathtaking documentary. With ian buruma, guo qiang cai, wenyou cai, wenhao cai.
When he finally realised it in 2015 after 20 years and three failed attempts, a majestic 500metre ladder of gold light ascended into the night sky over the huiyu island. How cai guoqiang built a 1,650foottall ladder out of fire. Sky ladder wasnt just a passion project, although it represents cai s dreams of going to space from his childhood. Official facebook page of contemporary artist cai guoqiang. Next month, netflix will be releasing a new documentary film titled sky ladder. The sky ladder is a 1,650foot ladder of fire climbing into the skies above artist cai guoqiangs hometown. Oct 14, 2016 a new documentary film on the artist, sky ladder. The art of cai guoqiang gabriel monade having only seen pictures of the title piece and without even knowing the artist this film was such a good introduction to cais work. Cai guoqiangs stunning sky ladder finally succeeds artnet.
The spectacular visual displays of the chineseborn artist cai guoqiang lend an undeniably cinematic razzledazzle to sky ladder. Oct 14, 2016 some of cai guoqiangs art exists for mere moments. This project is the culmination of a 20 year dream a monumental but ephemeral work imagined by the chinese artist cai guoqiang, which director kevin. But by far the most interesting aspect of director kevin macdonalds film is guoqiang himself a brilliant and at times baffling artist who basically just really loves blowing stuff up. On mar 1, 2016, netflix announced that it had acquired the film for worldwide distribution via its streaming service. The first fireworks were burning pieces of bamboo, which exploded because they. Produced by wendi murdoch and fisher stevens, and directed by acclaimed filmmaker kevin macdonald, sky ladder is the first featurelength documentary about the artist the inspiring and poignant film offers a beautiful portrait of cais. The art of cai guoqiang mcdonalds experience comes to the fore, constructing a film that packs into a feature length running time an impactful and engaging look at this fine. Netflixs new documentary sky ladder is bursting with inspiration. The art of cai guoqiang, which profiles the titular chinese modern artist while gauging his explosive impact on the global art scene. The art of cai guoqiang is a 2016 documentary film directed by kevin macdonald about the life and work of cai guoqiang known for his artwork wi. The opening film of garage screen summer cinema is the russian premiere of kevin macdonalds documentary feature sky ladder.
This film captures the work and life of cai guoqiang, whose frequent use of gunpowder serves as both an ancestral homage and an acknowledgement of. Oct 14, 2016 there is an irresistible, herzogian flavor to kevin macdonalds new documentary, sky ladder. Cai guoqiangs stunning sky ladder finally succeeds. The art of cai guo qiang, directed by oscarwinning filmmaker kevin macdonald. Nov 15, 2016 kevin macdonalds documentary sky ladder. How cai guoqiang built a 1,650foottall ladder out of fire artsy. Trace the rise of contemporary artist cai guo qiang from childhood in maos china to global art world superstar, and join his quest to realize his lifelong obsession.
The art of cai guoqiang encompasses a little bit of all of the above. Originally acquired by netflix at sundance, sky ladder. I am absolutely ashamed in the fact that not only have i never heard of this. Cai guoqiang was born in 1957 in quanzhou, fujian province, china. The art of cai guoqiang 2016 which portrays the life and practice of contemporary chinese artist cai guoqiang, known for his spectacular installations and the use of gunpowder. Connecting the earth to the rest of the universe was cai guo qiangs childhood dream. The sky ladder is a 1,650foot ladder of fire climbing into the skies above artist cai guo qiang s hometown. May 18, 2017 the opening film of garage screen summer cinema is the russian premiere of kevin macdonalds documentary feature sky ladder. Pyrotechnic savant cai guoqiang unpacks the metaphysical questions at the heart of his explosive oeuvre for a new film series by fine art visual search engine art.
The art of cai guoqiang is a 2016 documentary film directed by kevin macdonald about the life and work of cai guoqiang known for his artwork with the help of gunpowder. Today were giving away a postcard of the iconic sky ladder display, signed by cai guoqiang himself. The inspiring and poignant film offers a beautiful portrait of cais practice and. The art of cai guoqiang offers an inviting glimpse into the life of a truly international. Aug, 2015 cai guo qiang, sky ladder, realized at huiyu island harbour, quanzhou, fujian, june 15, 2015 at 4.
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