Cai Guo-Qiang In Shawinigan in 2006

Just when I was saying a month ago that the installation "Inopportune" at Mass Moca by Cai Guo-Qiang was one of the best artwork seen this past year, it seems everyone around here will have a second opportunity (scuse the pun) to visit it as it's been settled to show as the next summer blockbuster for the Shawinigan museum (Cité De l'Énergie), within the context of some sort of micro-retrospective of the artist's works.


I'm very happy for it. Very. But I'd like to remind the organizers that what makes me and others travel to Mass Moca, a museum that is situated inasmuch a remote sector as the Cité De L' Énergie, with which it shares an "industrial-romantic" cachet, is also because they presents 2 other large group shows at once.


Can seeing merely 3 or 4 pieces by Guo-Qiang be a reason enough for travellers
to travel this far? Time will tell, because "Inopportune" really IS a fantastic piece (or rather, a set of pieces), but I can confirm that it would have been totally worth this if only it had been a major retrospective, which I'm still anxiously awaiting someone organizes in this side of the planet.


Who will bring that roller coaster ?


Of course, a retro of Guo-Qiang would imply a lot of space and a lot of generosity.
And maybe even, a lot of "energy" (another bad pun). But since one of Guo-Qiang's preferred theme is energy, I think it would be fabulous if at least the Musee Des Beaux-Arts du Canada would command one or two new specific installations for this event, convincing the artist that the place presents the perfect occasion to link it back to his practice.


Something exclusive could probably entice some of our neighbors to cross the border,
what the Shawinigan Cité De l'Énergie, judging from last summer attendances, desparately needs.



Cheers,

Cedric Caspesyan
centiment@hotmail.com