Volunteers Needed for Gunpowder Drawing Project(22-26 Oct),

Events Details

From Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102048656572690

We need volunteers, LOADS of volunteers to take part in the Gunpowder Drawing Project. Sign up to work side by side with famed Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang to create riotous, charred drawings with exploding gunpowder.

The Gunpowder Drawings will explore Cai Guo-Qiang's personal connection to the Gulf region, incorporating imagery from Islamic miniature paintings, decorative arts, textiles and ancient maritime routes between the Arab world and his hometown of Quanzhou, China.

These monumental works will comprise ten large drawings and an ambitious porcelain mural. To make them, Cai Guo-Qiang needs the support of over two hundred local volunteers to help with stenciling, cutting and drawing, and the final stage of ignition.

The entire process will take place from 22-26 October 2011 at Al-Riwaq, the exhibition hall next to the Museum of Islamic Art.

The finished works will feature in the exhibition Cai Guo-Qiang: Saraab, which opens on 5 December, 2011 at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art.

What will volunteers do?

Volunteers begin by helping to make giant stencils. The artist then lays gunpowder over the stencils and paper. A controlled explosion results in an exciting new form of drawing that blurs the line between creation and destruction.
How much time must volunteers commit?
Volunteers may register for one or more morning or afternoon shifts to work with the artist.

Volunteers can register for one or more morning or afternoon shifts to work with the artist from 22-26 October 2011.

Please note: to qualify for participation, all volunteers must attend safety training on 21 October, 3:00-6:00 p.m.

Who can participate?

Volunteers must be:
• at least 16 years old*
• non-smokers
• able to lift and move objects

*Individuals under 18 may participate with signed permission from a consenting parent/guardian.

Can we just watch?
Yes, the entire process is open to the public, with admissions on a "first come, first served" basis.