labelled and size 3, of tightly-pleated polyester, the front printed with coiling dragon-like gunpowder trail, a facsimile of the original artwork, with remains of original Issey Miyake shop tag giving details of the artist in English and Japanese, bust approx 92cm, 36in
This important Chinese artist produces these prints/designs by means of detonating gun-powder charges on paper which leaves a residue of scorch marks and ash, reminiscent of traditional Chinese calligraphic ink drawings. The undulating lines are suggestive of serpents, Chinese dragons or snaking river paths. An identical dress was included in the following exhibitions: Breaking the Mode: Contemporary Fashion from the Permanent Collection, Florence, ITA, Palazzo Strozzi, October 12, 2007-January 20, 2008, Los Angeles, CA, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, September 17, 2006-January 7, 2007, Indianapolis, IN, Indianapolis Museum of Art, March 16, 2008-June 1, 2008
Literature: Cai Guo-Qiang: ’I Want to Believe’, Guggenheim Museum, New York, 2008, colour illustration, p167.