https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U10hD9YElTI
Early on June 15 the public looked on as a giant white balloon filled with 6,200 cubic meters of helium ascended into the sky above Huiyu Island Harbour, Quanzhou, China. Attached was a 500-meter long ladder that had been covered in burning fuses and fireworks. What happened next was incredible.
Artist Cai Guo-Qiang, well known for his ambitious firework creations, ignited the ladder and it went up in flames. The ladder burned for around 2 minutes and was the fourth and final attempt at making the art piece titled ‘Sky Ladder‘ a realisation, previous attempts in 1994, 2001 and 2012 had not been as successful as Guo-Qiang would have liked. Here he explains the ideas behind Sky Ladder:
“Behind Sky Ladder lies a clear childhood dream of mine. Despite all life’s twists and turns, I have always been determined to realize it. My earlier proposals were either more abstract or ceremonial. Sky Ladder today is tender, and touches my heart deeply: it carries affection for my hometown, my relatives and my friends. In contrast to my other attempts, which set the ignition time at dusk, this time the ladder rose toward the morning sun, carrying hope. For me, this not only means a return but also the start of a new journey.”
For more information you can checkout his website.
