In a dual presentation of Chinese art and culture past and present, the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series at the National Gallery of Victoria presents China’s ancient terracotta warriors alongside a parallel display of new works by one of the world’s most exciting contemporary artists, Cai Guo-Qiang, at NGV International.
The Terracotta Warriors have been likened to the eighth wonder of the world, and thanks to the National Gallery of Victoria’s Winter Masterpieces you and your children can see 8 Warriors in all their glory! And we mean jaw dropping glory!
Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape, presented in parallel with Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality has just opened in Melbourne, and is running until 13 October, 2019.
One of the world’s most exciting contemporary artists, Cai Guo-Qiang’s work is featured in this explosive exhibition, where he has used his incredible, creative talent to produce a selection of brand new masterpieces using gunpowder!
‘Using gunpowder brings me closer to nature and even the universe. Of course at the moment of ignition the explosion is instantaneous… but gunpowder has its origins in minerals that took hundreds, thousands or millions of years to form.’– Cai Guo-Qiang
To top off a beautifully executed exhibition, Cai Guo-Qiang has exhibited 10,000 porcelain birds, each one carefully suspended from the ceiling. Created especially for this exhibition, this monumental installation of 10,000 suspended porcelain birds, create a three-dimensional impression of a calligraphic drawing of the sacred Mount Li, the site of the ancient tomb of China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuang, and his warriors.
This is a child friendly exhibition with many of the detailed explanations specifically targeted at a younger audience. Take your children to see nearly 170 works, which will not only offer a new perspective on Chinese culture, past and present but will hopefully give birth to a love of art and history that they will keep with them for life.
© Shaanxi History Museum (Shaanxi Cultural Heritage Promotion Center) and
Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum
Where: 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne VIC
When: 24 May to 13 October 2019.
Web: ngv.vic.gov.au
Tickets: Adults $30, Children $10 Family $65.