For my art, there is a common theme most of the time: it is using the things we can see to search for the world we cannot see. Cai Guo-Qiang More Quotes by Cai Guo-Qiang More Quotes From Cai Guo-Qiang My work is like a dialogue between me and unseen powers, like alchemy. Cai Guo-Qiang alchemy unseen dialogue When I was young, I didn't want to do traditional painting and calligraphy. I deliberately wanted to separate from my father so I could feel I existed myself. Cai Guo-Qiang calligraphy want father Be Careful Of Books. Be Careful With Books. Be Careful Or One Can Become A Weapon-Wielder. Be Careful Or One Can Become The Victim. Cai Guo-Qiang weapons victim book For me it's really important that the work here displays an aesthetic of decay along with the sunken boat with the broken ceramic pieces. They form a unity in showing the power of destruction, the beauty of destruction, whether it's from nature - because the boat has sunk - or through other forces. It's really the beauty of decay and death that holds a power here. Cai Guo-Qiang unity important broken For an artist, a good place to be is you have some kind of influence and power to get things done, but in your essence you remain a nomad or a soldier facing a difficulty to be overcome. Cai Guo-Qiang influence-and-power artist essence In any country, in any city, there will be political influence on what is said, what kind of images are to be projected and, yes, of course artists can be and are influenced by politicians. Cai Guo-Qiang artist cities country Even though Chinese society was really closed, there were two windows for me to explore the world. One was from my mother and grandmother, the unseen and invisible world. Another window was brought from my father's side, those classic and Western books. Cai Guo-Qiang mother father book Computer animation is one way to liberate people from their circumstantial gravity, and it is one way to give them mental freedom. Cai Guo-Qiang giving people way I have always been a coward as a child. I am not very brave. I am very aware of the fact that I am not very gutsy. Cai Guo-Qiang coward brave children Everyone has their moments of solitude, difficulties, and vulnerability. Cai Guo-Qiang difficulties solitude moments Only an idiot would open an exhibition saying, 'Look at my awesome work.' Cai Guo-Qiang saying look idiot work Many artists, when they are creating art, are searching for a vehicle that can manifest a feeling they have inside of themselves. Cai Guo-Qiang inside feeling manifest art Only individual creativity can bring about real social development. Cai Guo-Qiang bring creativity development real When I was young, the constraints of Chinese society and my personal timid and cautious nature both drove me to seek a means to go against control. Gunpowder has an inherent uncertainty and uncontrollability and is an important means for me to relieve myself of constraint. Cai Guo-Qiang myself me society nature The boyhood dream of becoming a painter stays important to me. Cai Guo-Qiang me painter important dream I lived in Japan for eight years before moving to New York, but I was looking forward to a place like America to change my opinion on things and force me to come up with new perspectives. Cai Guo-Qiang looking me looking-forward change Using gunpowder as a medium became a way to liberate myself. Cai Guo-Qiang liberate medium myself way Through art, through people working together and building relationships and trust, people can overcome the problems of politics. Cai Guo-Qiang trust politics people art Art should not be a tool of politics, but sometimes art can help make the political climate more open and help society become more free. Cai Guo-Qiang society politics sometimes art The role of art in society is not to resolve conflicts; rather, it is to express these conflicts and antagonisms. Cai Guo-Qiang express rather society art
