September 5, 2006: 99 wolves crash into glass

Undertoad · 09-05-2006, 09:26 AM

From the "cool art" dep't:

It's 99 life-sized wolves, made over a period of six months out of sheepskin, straw, and other such materials. They crash into a thick pane of glass and tumble in confusion onto the floor. The lead animals are the ones crashing, but clearly the pack is headed for the smackdown as well.

It's called "Head On", one part of a three-part installation by Chinese contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang, made as a commissioned piece for the Deutsche Bank Collection in Berlin.

From the press release:

Quote:

The title work Head On lends its name to the exhibition and takes over most of the exhibition gallery in its physical volume. The installation consists of a pack of 99 life-sized wolves barreling in a continuous stream towards—and into—a constructed glass wall. Other works in the exhibition include the aforementioned 9 x 4 meter gunpowder drawing showing hundreds of wolves whose bodies form a giant vortex and the two-channel video work Illusion II.

The wolves were produced in Quanzhou, China, from January to June of 2006. The commissioned local workshop in Cai’s hometown specializes in manufacturing remarkable, life-sized replicas of animals. First, small clay models were created as movement studies, out of which Cai subsequently developed Head On’s artist editions of cast resin wolves. However, the realistic and lifelike 99 wolves that grew out of these models and drawings possess no literal remnants of wolves: they are fabricated from painted sheepskins and stuffed with hay and metal wires, with plastic lending contour to their faces and marbles for eyes.

Ibby · 09-05-2006, 09:40 AM

Only a chinese artist...

Cool idea, though, I guess..

The 42 · 09-05-2006, 10:11 AM

Woah! That's incredibly realistic. Why the hell did they need 99 wolves though... they could have done just as well with thirty or forty.

Spexxvet · 09-05-2006, 10:23 AM

One for each bottle of beer on the wall.

The 42 · 09-05-2006, 10:37 AM

Oh so do we keep cutting them down and eating them?

GreenYoda · 09-05-2006, 10:44 AM

"99 life-sized wolves, made over a period of six months out of sheepskin..."

Wolves in sheep's clothing?

Spexxvet · 09-05-2006, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The 42

Oh so do we keep cutting them down and eating them?

One at a time, one at a time...

The 42 · 09-05-2006, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Wolves in sheep's clothing?

No, it's sheep that got plastic surgery to look like wolves!

Sundae · 09-05-2006, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The 42

Woah! That's incredibly realistic. Why the hell did they need 99 wolves though... they could have done just as well with thirty or forty.

It's so you get "99 Red Balloons" in your head for the rest of the day:

99 life sized wolves
floating in the summer sky
etc

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenYoda

Wolves in sheep's clothing?

glatt · 09-05-2006, 12:25 PM

I like this display a lot. I don't really understnad what it's supposed to mean, but I like it still. I really like it that the wolves are made from sheep. I don't know if the artist meant it to be funny, but it is.

Spexxvet · 09-05-2006, 12:39 PM

Reminds me of a Cabella's store!

Griff · 09-05-2006, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt

I like this display a lot. I don't really understnad what it's supposed to mean, but I like it still. I really like it that the wolves are made from sheep. I don't know if the artist meant it to be funny, but it is.

I hope it doesn't mean anything. Its just cool!

sproglet · 09-05-2006, 02:00 PM

Very dramatic, lots of movement and energy.

Could it be a metaphor for the anticipated influx of Eastern Europeans into Western Europe with the glass representing the economic divide?

I'm sure the Berlin wall was an influence, what with it's location and all.

Trilby · 09-05-2006, 04:41 PM

Hate it.

Griff · 09-05-2006, 04:48 PM

Red headed stranger visiting today?

09-05-2006, 09:40 AM	#2
Ibby erika Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: "the high up north" Posts: 6,127	Only a chinese artist... Cool idea, though, I guess.. __________________ not really back, you didn't see me, i was never here shhhhhh

09-05-2006, 10:23 AM	#4
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	One for each bottle of beer on the wall. __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

09-05-2006, 12:39 PM	#11
Spexxvet Makes some feel uncomfortable Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 10,346	Reminds me of a Cabella's store! __________________ "I'm certainly free, nay compelled, to spread the gospel of Spex. " - xoxoxoBruce

09-05-2006, 04:41 PM	#14
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	Hate it. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

09-05-2006, 04:48 PM	#15
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Red headed stranger visiting today? __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

09-05-2006, 10:11 AM	#3
The 42 I'm not lurking, I'm stalking YOU! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Somwhere over the rainbow Posts: 70	Woah! That's incredibly realistic. Why the hell did they need 99 wolves though... they could have done just as well with thirty or forty.

09-05-2006, 10:37 AM	#5
The 42 I'm not lurking, I'm stalking YOU! Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Somwhere over the rainbow Posts: 70	Oh so do we keep cutting them down and eating them?

09-05-2006, 10:44 AM	#6
GreenYoda Person Who Has Posted Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 2	"99 life-sized wolves, made over a period of six months out of sheepskin..." Wolves in sheep's clothing?

09-05-2006, 12:25 PM	#10
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	I like this display a lot. I don't really understnad what it's supposed to mean, but I like it still. I really like it that the wolves are made from sheep. I don't know if the artist meant it to be funny, but it is.

09-05-2006, 02:00 PM	#13
sproglet small in a big way. Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: The British Empire Posts: 94	Very dramatic, lots of movement and energy. Could it be a metaphor for the anticipated influx of Eastern Europeans into Western Europe with the glass representing the economic divide? I'm sure the Berlin wall was an influence, what with it's location and all.

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