Mixed media on paper

52 x 67 cm.20 1/2 x 26 3/8 in.

Signed in Pingyin on lower middle

LITERATURE Okayama，Japan，The 7th Japan Ushimado International Art Festival，November 1990.

EXHIBITED Okayama，Japan，The 7th Japan Ushimado International Art Festival，2-4 Nov 1990.

Cai Guo-Qiang b.1957

Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5 is one of the representative explosive series which Cai Guo-Qiang created during his stay in Japan，reaching his first peak of creation. These large explosive works fully employs the contingency and destructiveness of gunpowder in attempt to connect the audience with greater universe. Cai Guo-Qiang unfolds the interaction and conversation between people and the universe from the universal perspective，unifying the desire to search for life in the universe. Cai Guo-Qiang includes the extraterrestrial perspective into this project，which reflects his crisis awareness for earth and mankind. As the artist states：“I wish to place earth related issues，human problems，issues related to cultural history，and potentials of contemporary arts in the universe.

The “Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5” by Cai Guo-Qiang mainly includes explosive paintings and gunpowder drafts. This“Fetus Movement I：Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5” was a gunpowder draft derived from the explosive painting for Fetus Movement I：Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5 during Okayama Art Festival in Japan on November 3rd，1990. In the explosive process for “Fetus Movement I：Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5，” the gunpowder is hidden in square shape under the mud by 10 cm. The rising takes place one after another after explosion. The entire explosion signifies the “fetus movement of the earth” while the seismometer records the impact of human fluctuation on earth. This original concepts is well presented on this draft. Cais’ explosive creation uses special hemp paper customized from Japan. The fiber structure of such paper can defend and absorb the power generated from the explosion，allowing the paper to reach ideal state after paper igniting and extinguishing. In “Fetus Movement I：Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5”，Cai Guoqiang perfectly demonstrates the precision of technology and artistic articulation，presenting the characteristics of “fetus movement” in nature.

Price estimate:
HKD：250,000 - 300,000
USD：32,250 - 38,700

Auction Result:
HKD : 413,000