South, London
Cai Guo-Qiang
Gunpowder and Abstraction (2015-2025)
White CubeWhite Cube is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Cai Guo-Qiang (b. 1957, Quanzhou, Fujian, China), coinciding with Frieze London. Based in New York since 1995, Cai is best known for his monumental outdoor explosion events, gunpowder paintings and large-scale installations – works that transcend the two-dimensional plane to oscillate freely between nature and society. This exhibition marks the artist's first project in London in over 20 years, following his iconic explosion event at Tate Modern in 2003. Featuring a selection of Cai's signature gunpowder paintings created over the past decade, the show highlights the artist's radical exploration of the material, in which he ignites explosives directly onto various substrates such as paper, canvas, glass and mirror. In 2015, after nearly three decades of working primarily with black gunpowder for his two-dimensional works, Cai began incorporating more coloured gunpowder into his practice, turning his attention towards painterly concerns. With subtle references to flora and fauna, the vibrant works on view in the exhibition highlight the artist's long-standing engagement with the Western art canon, including the work of the Old Masters, whilst exploring the nature of painting and abstraction.