ZHONG CHENG

Born in Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, China. Trained in stage design, he graduated from the Shanghai Drama Institute from 1985. While living in Japan from 1986 to 1995, Cai first explored the properties of gunpowder in his drawings. He quickly achieved international prominence during his stay in Japan and his works which show a wide variety of symbols, narratives, traditions and materials such as feng shui, Chinese medicine, dragons, roller coasters, computers, vending machines and gunpowder, were shown widely around the world. Recently, His works were shown at the Asia Society in New York (2003), “Cai Guo-Qiang on the Roof: Transparent Monument” (2003, New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art); “Head On” (2006, Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin, Germany; 2011, Singapore National Museum of History) He was the first Asian artist to display at the Berlin Guggenheim. “I Want to Believe” (2008, Beijing, National Art Museum of China (organized in collaboration with the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York); “Cai Guo-Qiang: Hanging Out in the Museum” (2009, Taiwan, Taipei Fine Arts Museum); “Cai Guo-Qiang: Odyssey” (2010, Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, permanent gunpowder drawing installation); “Cai Guo-Qiang: My Stories of Painting” (2016, Netherlands, Bonnefanten Museum); “The spirit of Painting” (2017, Madrid, Prado Museum). In 2017, his “Sky Ladder” documentary film was completed. The artist also performed as a committee member responsible for the creativity of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and is also the Chief visual designer of the event.