Beyond belief

Artist Cai Guoqiang exhibits his stunning works at the National Art Museum of China

It seemed unfair that New Yorkers got to see I Want Believe before Beijingers; but now Cai Guoqiang will bring his triumphant Guggenheim exhibition back to Beijing in time for the end of the Olympics. Cai, who made his name creating gunpowder explosions, maintains an interest in destruction with this exhilarating show: there are gunpowder drawings, stuffed wolves running into a clear wall and a giant installation where multiple cars appear to explode.

The exhibition has an addictive vibrancy about it, which is something Cai planned. ‘I think art should be fun,’ he says. ‘It should be fun for the artist and participants and viewers and not such a burden or some sort of responsibility when they experience the work. The title, I Want to Believe, suggests that the art is a springboard for people to think about what is controversial and contradictory in our society. But the exhibition’s also about enjoying the whole art experience.’

Cai’s emphatic that his works, such as an installation where 50 clay sculptures disintegrate over time, are not political or moral. If anything, he says, the role of art is to ‘preserve a distance and to provide a distance for people to see certain issues.’ Indeed, he says he has always been drawn to artistic detachment. ‘When I was young during the Cultural Revolution, I used to collect flyers from people who had different points of view. It seemed like a game to me, not something political.’

It is perhaps ironic that the man known for explosions is heavily involved in this summer’s Olympics. Cai is artistic director of visual and special effects for the opening and closing ceremonies; though he refuses to talk about his role in any detail, he admits that there will be ‘some’ gunpowder.

The position is a reflection of Cai’s increasing importance in the Chinese art world. But I Want to Believe is not an exhibition by an artist who has meekly joined the Establishment; rather, it shows an artist at the top of his game.

I Want To Believe
National Art Museum of China
August 19 to September 2, 1 Wusi Dajie, Dongcheng

Ellen Pearlman