A video of a Chinese pyrotechnical artist making a flaming stairway to heaven to celebrate his grandmother’s 100th birthday is going viral on social media. The video, even though it is over five years old, captured the attention of netizens on social media site X when author Juanita Broaddrick shared it on her profile on Tuesday.
The video has garnered 2.9 million views and many have congratulated the artist for his tribute. The work of art was designed by Cai Guo-Qiang, the pyrotechnical artist.
Pyrotechnical artists are artists who specialise in creating and orchestrating visually stunning and dramatic displays using fireworks, pyrotechnics, and special effects.
Chinese fireworks artist Cai Guo-Qiang is among the world’s most famous pyrotechnicians. For his grandmother’s centennial birthday celebrations, he designed this Sky Ladder which was 1,650-foot-high and made from gunpowder loaded with copper wire.
He ignited the sky ladder from his perch in a flying hot air balloon. He was able to show this display off Huiyu Island in his hometown of Quanzhou, Fujian in 2015. His first attempt was in 1994 but that was foiled by strong winds. In 2001, he decided to try again but authorities in Shanghai denied him the permit due to the September 11 attacks.
Cai Guo-Qiang refined his artistic skills at the Shanghai Institute of Drama before moving to Japan from 1986 to 1995, where he further developed his mastery over gunpowder. Gunpowder, an ancient Chinese invention, became Cai’s signature medium and using gunpowder he wanted to show his admirers its inherent violence and beauty.
In 2008, Cai Guo-Qiang made history as the first Chinese artist to receive a solo retrospective at New York City’s Guggenheim Museum. He also served as the director of visual and special effects for the 2008 Beijing Olympics ceremonies. In 2011, he was featured in a solo exhibition at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar.
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first published: May 14, 2024, 16:35 IST