Cai Guo-Qiang and the Pyrotechnic Imagination

Let's kick off the Fourth of July weekend with the art of Cai Guo-Qiang, a Chinese artist who is best known for his work with a most unusual material gunpowder.

This movie made by the New York Times, Cai Guo-Qiang and the Pyrotechnic Imagination, shows Cai creating a work of art for the Beijing Embassy using gunpowder.

You may have seen his work during the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He created the images of the giant footprints striding over Beijing, beginning from the Southern Gate of Beijing and ending at the Bird Nest Stadium. Although the 29 firework Footprints of History were actually set off over Beijing, it was revealed that viewers saw a computer-generated display for television. Cai addresses the controversy here on ART21's blog.

In this video, Cai discusses his large-scale gunpowder painting version of "Footprints of History" created after the Olympics.



This weekend, remember to enjoy the fireworks, but please be careful — as you can see, the use of this media is for experts only.

We wish you all a safe and happy Fourth of July!