Monday night, Artsy, Swire Properties, and United Talent Agency (UTA) honored artist Cai Guo-Qiang with a cocktail party coinciding with Art Basel Hong Kong. Held at the Sky Lounge in Swire Properties’ hotel The Upper House, the event brought together over 130 international art world figures to celebrate the artist’s notable achievements, including his recent nomination for an Asia Art Award.
Best known for his massive animal installations—such as Head On, a tsunami of wolves made from gauze, resin, and painted hides—and his incorporation of gunpowder and fireworks into his pieces, Guo-Qiang has explained that he enjoys the “spontaneity and uncontrollability” of working with such explosive materials. Past pieces have mixed broken pottery with fishing boats, a red-hot ladder exploding into the sky, and a painted resin alligator stuck with sharp objects confiscated at airport security checkpoints. Guests at the cocktail party included Vito Schnabel, Josh Roth, Xin Li, Wendi Murdoch, Carter Cleveland, Sebastian Cwilich, and Jasmine Li.
Courtesy of Artsy.
