For the first time ever, all 3,000 square metres of Gallery of Modern Art’s ground floor will be dedicated to an exhibition of work by a single living artist, Cai Guo-Qiang. ‘Falling Back to Earth’ features installations of 99 replicas of animals drinking from a pristine lake; 99 wolves leaping en masse and colliding with a glass wall; a suspended 31-metre eucalyptus tree, creating a space for contemplation; and a tea pavilion where visitors can pause, drink tea, and find out more about the artist and the exhibition. There will also be an interactive installation for children and a chronological display of the artist’s career, with photographs, ephemera, and original art works selected by the artist.
Cai Guo-Qiang said the exhibition title ‘Falling Back to Earth’ was inspired by fourth-century poet Tao Yuanming’s well-known prose poem, ‘Ah, homeward bound I go!’
