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Cai Guo-Qiang — Maple Leaves No. 1
Cai Guo-Qiang — Maple Leaves No. 1
Cai Guo-Qiang

Maple Leaves No. 1

2018

This gunpowder painting presents an abstract composition dominated by deep crimsons and rose tones, with gestural scorch marks and color clouds that suggest organic forms or atmospheric phenomena. The controlled detonation has created layered halos of pigment ranging from saturated red to pale blush, with darker charred areas creating visual tension and depth. The work exemplifies the artist's recent turn toward chromatic intensity after decades of monochromatic practice, where gunpowder continues to function as both destructive force and painterly medium. The small square format intensifies the intimate yet explosive energy contained within the composition.

Medium
Gunpowder on canvas
Overall

Notes

White Cube solo presentation of Cai Guo-Qiang at TEFAF New York 2026, Stand 355, Park Avenue Armory, May 14–19, 2026. Framed: 27.3 x 27.3 x 7 cm. Exhibited in 'Flora Commedia', Uffizi Galleries, Florence, 19 November 2018 to 16 February 2019.

For Sale — $40000

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About this work

Cai Guo-Qiang, Maple Leaves No. 1, 2018

This gunpowder painting presents an abstract composition dominated by deep crimsons and rose tones, with gestural scorch marks and color clouds that suggest organic forms or atmospheric phenomena. The controlled detonation has created layered halos of pigment ranging from saturated red to pale blush, with darker charred areas creating visual tension and depth. The work exemplifies the artist's recent turn toward chromatic intensity after decades of monochromatic practice, where gunpowder continues to function as both destructive force and painterly medium. The small square format intensifies the intimate yet explosive energy contained within the composition.

Medium
Gunpowder on canvas
Dimensions
overall: 25.4 x 25.4 cm
Year
2018
Seen at
White Cube, London, United Kingdom

Related themes

Scorch Marks, Living Artist, Small Scale, Blue Chip, Destruction And Creation, Gallery Art, Contemporary Abstraction, Gunpowder Painting, Red, Mixed Media, Explosive Technique, Chinese Artist, Canvas, Color Field, Pigment Dispersion, Contemporary Art, Modern Painting, Controlled Chaos, Performative Art, Abstract, Experimental Medium

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