2021

Launched by Xu Bing and i-Space, Xu Bing Tianshu Rocket is an invaluable contribution to the evolving realm of space art. This unprecedented “art rocket” pays homage to the achievements of Chinese astronauts and embodies the innovative spirit that resonates in Xu Bing’s works. Painted with invented characters found in the archetypal Book from the Sky (1988), the rocket acts as a vessel that continues to question the arbitrary nature of language and its limitations. 

“After completing the propulsion task, the sub-stage arrow will separate from the load compartment and return to the ground. These ‘pseudo-characters’ [represent] a unique [artistic expression that reconstructs] natural forces such as fire [propulsion], atmospheric friction, and [the descent of the rocket]. [They] challenge the boundaries of human ability and behavior, [while also creating] art." - Xu Bing, April 2021

The “art rocket” was launched into space from Jiuquan, Northwest China on February 1, 2021, venturing into territories of space where humanity’s dominance is absent. Xu Bing has emphasized that the artistic philosophy of Qi Baishi’s work, which revolves around acknowledging the importance of providing space for nature and understanding its role, is intrinsic to the launching of this “art rocket." It is worth noting that the functioning of the rocket itself relies on the interaction between the rocket and the Earth's atmosphere. As such, the “art rocket” becomes a manifestation of this philosophy. Without atmospheric response, Nature’s intervention, the first-stage and second-stage rockets would not have ignited before impact. 

"Launch desire, crisis, and the unknown into outer space." - Xu Bing, April 2021

Related Links: https://www.xubing.com/en/database/writing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1sv6JiKEtA&ab_channel=CGTNLIV

Media: Mixed media, Video installation 

Time length: 2'8'' now (work still in progress) 

Exhibition: Red Brick Art Museum, Beijing, 2021-2022. Xie Zilong Photography Museum, Changsha, 2022

By utilizing ground-transmitted images and a self-directed satellite camera, Xu Bing integrates man-made pictures with those captured from an orbit, creating a captivating animation that blurs the boundaries between Earth and space. Imagine the “standard person'' traversing outer space, carrying a bundle in tow while words spill out of their baggage. As the satellite orbits around the earth 15 times each day, the language depicted in the animated spills changes in sychronization with the satellite’s position above certain geographical locations. This work represents far-reaching concepts that shape the existence of humanity such as language, human civilization, and linear time—reminding us to look back at our blue earth in the context of zero-gravity conditions in space, to cherish the only home we know: this one single small blue dot. As the audience witnesses this video within the confines of a gallery, the artwork unfolds simultaneously and ceaselessly in outer space.

Title: Book from the Ground: One Day in Manchester

Exhibition: 2021 Manchester International Festival, Great Britain, 2021

Title: Square Word Calligraphy: Gold from the Stone

Medium: Ink on paper

Dimension: 108.5 x 97.8 cm (calligraphy only)

                     115 x 104 cm (mounted)

Exhibition: HOME, 2021 Manchester International Festival, Great Britain, 2021