Crab House

In the Ruins of 20th Century
1996
Collection of the artist, some components in the collection of Harvard University Art Museums, Fogg Art Museum, Cambridge
More information
Art Type: 
Installation
Dimensions: Dimensions variable
Medium: 
Installation incorporating 160 live crabs, sand, tables, chairs, tea makers, plastic stands with prescription, lingzhi mushroom tea, and works presented as components
  • Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio
  • Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio
  • Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio
  • Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio
  • Photo by Hiro Ihara, courtesy Cai Studio
English 中文
Cai Guo-Qiang: Da Vincis do Povo Comic Book
Fairytale (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Complex (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Milestones (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Wu Yulu's Robot Factory (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Carnival Rehearsal
What’s Important Isn’t Whether You Can Fly (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Never Learned How to Land (2013) - Brasilia, Brazil
Invention
Test with Toy Fireworks
Alberto Santos - Dumont
Candomblé
Corcovado and Fantasia
Bikini Vendor and Offering of Flowers to Iemanjá (Sea Goddess)
Hat Vendor on the Beach
For Chen Zhen
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Fairytale (2013) - São Paulo, Brazil
Waiting (2013) - São Paulo, Brazil
Birds and Flowers of Brazil
Never Learned How to Land (2013) - São Paulo
Complex (2013) - São Paulo
Children Da Vincis
Wu Yulu's Robot Factory (2013) - São Paulo, Brazil
Milestones (2013) - São Paulo, Brazil
What’s Important Isn’t Whether You Can Fly (2013) - São Paulo, Brazil
The Snake Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) in Iwaki, Fukushima
Editions for SMoCA
Tides
Chaos in Nature
Crop Circles
Desire for Zero Gravity
Childhood Spaceship
Mystery Circle: Explosion Event for The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
West Lake
Leifeng Tower
White Tower of Dawn, The
Shadow of the Tower, The
Xiao Bai Hua No. 1
Xiao Bai Hua No. 2
Jiani No. 1
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Munch Fantasy No. 1
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Reflection–A Gift from Iwaki (2012) - Copenhagen, Denmark
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Svinkløv Sand Dunes
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Freja: Explosion Event for Faurschou Foundation
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Small Pine Tree
Peony in Full Bloom
Deer and Pine Trees
Classical Painting Impression
Black Christmas Tree: Explosion Event for Washington, D.C.
Al Shaqab
Test for West Lake
Black Ceremony
Ninety-Nine Horses
Endless
Flying Together
Fragile
Homecoming
Route
Desert Hues
Drawing for Black Ceremony
Flora on Porcelain
Frenzy of Flowers
Frieze
Memories
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Nocturnal Flower
Shadow of Mosque
Monuments on Shoulders
Nursery Rhymes
Move Along, Nothing to See Here (2011) - Providence, RI, USA
A Cure When Ill, A Supplement When Healthy (2011) - Oslo, Netherlands
Peasants - Making a Better City, a Better Life
Fairytale
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Wu Yulu's Robot Factory
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Kites
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Milestones
Never Learned How to Land
Travels in the Mediterranean
One Thousand Youngsters Drawing David (video performance)
Illusion
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Ring Stone
What's Important Isn't Whether You Can Fly
Three Slogans
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Odyssey
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Color Still
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Republic of China Centennial
You Can't Always See Where You're Going, But Can You See Where You've Been?
Head On (2009) - Bilbao, Spain
Bilbao's Rent Collection Courtyard
Reflection–A Gift from Iwaki (2009) - Bilbao, Spain
Age of Not Believing in God, The (2009) - Bilbao, Spain
Everything Is Museum (2009) - Bilbao
Boat
Tree with Yellow Blossoms
Fireworks Project for China's 60th National Day Celebration
Moving Garden
Cultural Melting Bath: Project for the 20th Century (2009) - Taipei
Day and Night
Inopportune: Stage Two (2009) - Taipei, Taiwan
Strait
Taroko Gorge
Fallen Blossoms: Explosion Project
Time Flies Like a Weaving Shuttle
Time Scroll
Reflection–A Gift from Iwaki (2009) - Taipei, Taiwan
Taipei's Rent Collection Courtyard
Fallen Blossoms: Explosion Project (Video Documentation)
Light Passage
Closing Rainbow: Fireworks Project for the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Footprints of History: Fireworks Project for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Five Golden Rings: Fireworks Project for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Inopportune: Stage One (2008) - Beijing, China
Inopportune: Stage Two (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Borrowing Your Enemy’s Arrows (2008) - Beijing, China
Arbitrary History: Infinite River, An (2008) - Beijing, China
Head On (2008) - Beijing, China
New York’s Rent Collection Courtyard
Cry Dragon/Cry Wolf: The Ark of Genghis Khan (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake (2008)
Reflection—A Gift from Iwaki (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Another New Year
Dream (2008) - Codroipo, Italy
Wind Shadow (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Danger Book: Suicide Fireworks
Countdown: Fireworks Project for the Closing Ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
Inopportune: Stage One (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Arbitrary History: River, An (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Drawing for Footprints of History
Everything Is Museum (2008) - Beijing
Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Wako: Japanese Pirates of the Middle Ages
Black Fireworks: Project for Hiroshima
Unmanned Nature: Project for the Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art
Head On (2008) - New York, NY, USA
Wolf and Sun
Light Passage--Winter
Light Passage--Summer
Light Passage--Spring
Inopportune: Stage One (2007) - Seattle, WA, USA
One Stone
Light Passage--Autumn
Pine Tree and Eagle
Eagle Landing on Pine Branch
Space Holes
Crocodile and Sun
Reflection–A Gift from Iwaki (2006) - Ottawa, Canada
Here Comes the Wind!
Inopportune: Stage Two (2006) - Ottawa, Canada
Stage: Project for San Gimignano
Clear Sky Black Cloud
Transparent Monument
Nontransparent Monument
Move Along, Nothing to See Here (2006) - New York, NY, USA
Crocodile from the Sky: Project for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same Word, Same Seed, Same Root
Crocodile and Man One: Project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Flying Carpet (2006) - Ottawa, Canada
Crocodile and Man Two: Project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Vortex (2006) - Berlin, Germany
Clear Sky Black Cloud
Illusion II: Explosion Project
Head On (2006) - Berlin, Germany
Illusion II: Video (2006) - Berlin, Germany
Distant View of San Gimignano from the Stage
Chun Qiu: Project for the New Galleries of Suzhou Museum, Invited by I.M. Pei
Exploding Tower
Wind Shadow (2006) - Taipei, Taiwan
Captured Wind Arrested Shadow: Cai Guo-Qiang and Lin Hwai-min’s Wind Shadow
Buddha's Light
Descending Wolves: For the Guggenheim International Gala
Dreams Along the Stairway
Chun Qiu: Bygones - Project for the New Galleries of Suzhou Museum
Glass-crashing Birds One: Project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Glass-crashing Birds Two: Project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Exploding House: Project for Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin
Glass-crashing Birds Three: Project for The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Manhattan’s Crocodile: Project for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mountain Range
Mountain Glow
Pale Male and Lola: Project for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Pine Tree, A
Snapping Crocodiles: Project for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Stage on the Hillside
Two Crocodiles: Project for the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Wolves in the Fog: Project for Deutsche Guggenheim
Furious Tiger Going Down a Mountain
Furious Tiger
Howling Wolf
One Lion
Tiger with Arrows: Project for Mass MoCA
Tiger and Eagle
Star Mine
Red Flag
Dream (2005) - Waltham, MA, USA
Virgin Garden: Emersion. China Pavilion at 51st Venice Biennale
Flying Carpet (2005) - Herford, Germany
Auto-Destruct
Art Shopping Network
Paradise
Black Rainbow: Explosion Project for Valencia
Red Flag
Black Rainbow: Explosion Project for Edinburgh
Plantain Grove
Life Beneath the Shadow
Dark Night Edinburgh
Tornado: Explosion Project for the Festival of China
UMOCA 2: Jennifer Wen Ma: Aeolian Garden
Car, A
Alligator
Black Fireworks: Project for IVAM
Fireworks and Man
Flag
Tigers with Arrows
Two Lions: Drawing Experiment for Deutsche Guggenheim
Two Tigers Turning Heads
Wolf and Earth: Drawing Experiment for Deutsche Guggenheim
Sun, Lion and Wolf: Drawing Experiment for Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin
Wolf and Milky Way: Drawing Experiment for Deutsche Guggenheim, Berlin
Wolves of the Dark Night: Drawing Experiment for Deutsche Guggenheim
Caressing Zaha with Vodka
Tonight So Lovely
Bon Voyage: 10,000 Collectables from the Airport
Painting Chinese Landscape Painting
Inopportune: Stage One (2004) - North Adams, MA, USA
Red Star Flying Saucer
BMOCA: 18 Solo Exhibitions
Inopportune: Stage Two (2004) - North Adams, MA, USA
Fireworks from Heaven (2004) - Paris, France
Painting Chinese Landscape Painting
Reflection–A Gift from Iwaki (2004) - Washington, D.C., USA
Illusion (2004) - North Adams, MA, USA
Bird of Light
Out of Desperate Misfortune Comes Bliss
Inopportune: Stage One-Exploding Car No. 1
Inopportune: Stage One-Exploding Car No. 2
Inopportune: Stage One-Exploding Car No. 3
Man, Eye, Eagle in the Sky
Movement Cultivates Vitality
Nine Cars
Sketch for Spider Web: Project for the British Museum
Sun Ship
Tide Watching on West Lake
Light Cycle: Explosion Project for Central Park
Man, Eagle and Eye in the Sky
Ye Gong Hao Long (Mr. Ye Who Loves Dragons): Explosion Project for Tate Modern
Arbitrary History: Roller Coaster, An (2003) - Ghent, Belgium
Arbitrary History: River, An (2003) - Ghent, Belgium
Pause
Fireworks from Heaven (2003) - Berkeley, CA, USA
A Cure When Ill, A Supplement When Healthy (2003) - Boston, MA, USA
Inheritance: Exploding Jan Hoet's Portrait
Eagle Has Arrived!, The (2003) - Ghent, Belgium
Cultural Melting Bath: Projects for the 20th Century (2003) - Cincinnati, USA
Drawing for Building Chinese Tower in Paris: Explosion Project for Chinese French Years
Lighthouse
Age of Not Believing in God, The (2003) - Ghent, Belgium
Building A Chinese Tower in Paris
Light Cycle: Explosion Project for Central Park
Transient Rainbow
Transient Rainbow
Ye Gong Hao Long (Mr. Ye Who Loves Dragons)
Ye Gong Hao Long (Mr. Ye Who Loves Dragons)
Transient Rainbow
Money Net
Ethereal Flowers
Net, The
Dream (2002) - Gwangju, Korea
Cai Guo-Qiang's Maksimov Collection
Big White Truth: From Antonioni's Chung Kuo
Passage
Cai Guo-Qiang's CHADO Pavilion—Homage to Tenshin Okakura
Spider Web
Skybound UFO and Shrine
Kaleidoscope
Turtle Fountain
Gift: Triumphant Return with Heavy Wounds
Blue Dragon
99 Golden Boats
Impression Oil Drawing: Transient Rainbow
Ascending
Drawings for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Against the Current
Sky Bound UFO and Shrine
Fireworks from Heaven (2001) - Yokohama, Japan
Arbitrary History: River, An (2001) - Lyon, France
Arbitrary History: Roller Coaster, An (2001) - Lyon, France
Eagle Has Arrived!, The (2001) - Lyon, France
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Cityscape Fireworks
Fountain
Performing Chinese Ink Paintings
Winning Gift: Heavy with Wounds, A
Picturesque Painteresque
Kite
Who is the Happiest
Service for the Biennale!
Primeval Fireball: The Project for Projects (2002) - Paris, France
How is Your Feng Shui: Year 2000 Project for Manhattan
Still Life Performance
Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows (2000) - New York, NY, USA
Drawing for Deutsche Bank Moment Series
Sky Bath
Fountain
Till by Blade, Sow by Fire
Mark of 921, The
Crystal Tower
DMoCA (Dragon Museum of Contemporary Art): Everything is Museum No. 1 2000
Dragon Has Arrived!, The (1999) - Houston, TX, USA
Self Promotion for the People
Ascending a Staircase
Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake (2000)
Cultural Melting Bath: Projects for the 20th Century (2000) - Lyon, France
Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10
I Am the Y2K Bug
Dragon Sight Sees Vienna: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 32
Venice's Rent Collection Courtyard
Spring Breeze
Age of Not Believing in God, The (1999) - Cologne, Germany
Bridge Crossing
Calling
Firecrackers for the Opening of S.M.A.K.
Skylight
Year 2000 Bell
Salute
Dragon Boat
Drawing for Dragon Sight Sees Vienna: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 32
Doctor Undergoing Treatment, A
Garment A from Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake
Garment B from Dragon: Explosion on Pleats Please Issey Miyake
No Destruction, No Construction: Bombing the Taiwan Museum of Art
Golden Missile
Borrowing Your Enemy's Arrows (1998) - New York, NY, USA
Dragon: Explosion on Issey Miyake (1998)
Advertising Castle
Parting of the Sea: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 30
New York Earthworm Room
Cultural Melting Bath: Project for the 20th Century (1998) - Naoshima
Torideshi Nishi 1-22-21, 301 Elizabeth Street
Flying Dragon in the Heavens: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 29
Cultural Melting Bath: Projects for the 20th Century (1997) - Queens, NY, USA
Mao
Garden within a Garden
A Cure When Ill, A Supplement When Healthy (1997) - Chicago, IL, USA
Dragon Has Arrived!, The (1997) - Venice, Italy
Other Shore, The
Heavenly Secret
Red Golf
Trap: Project for the 20th Century, The
Crab House
Cry Dragon/Cry Wolf: The Ark of Genghis Khan (1996) - New York, NY, USA
Century with Mushroom Clouds: Project for the 20th Century, The
Dragon Skeleton/Suture of the Wall—True Collection
Dome
Be Careful with Fire
Bringing to Venice What Marco Polo Forgot
Orient (San Jō Tower), The
Restrained Violence—Rainbow: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 25
Moxacautery–For Africa
Snake Bag–Multiculture
Internal and External Universe: Water Wood Metal Fire Earth (1995) - Venice, Italy
Acupuncture for Venice
Sundial
Sinking and Rising: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 27 (#2)
Sinking and Rising: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 27 (#1)
Kaikou—The Keel (Returning Light—The Dragon Bone)
Earth Has Its Black Hole Too: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 16, The
Project for Heiankyō 1,200th Anniversary: Celebration from Chang’an
Horizon from the Pan-Pacific: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 14, The
Grave Robbing
Elixir of Immortality
Universal Design: Feng Shui Project for Mito: Chang Sheng
Myth: Shooting the Suns: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 21
Calendar of Life
Blue Cross: Prescription for Art Museum
Internal and External Universe: Water Wood Metal Fire Earth (1994) - Otterlo, Netherlands
Making a Ladder to the Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 20 (unrealized)
Orient (San Jō Tower), The
Promenade
Silk Road
Arms--Contradiction
Days
Unfulfilled Ambition
Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10
Buried Civilization
Normandy's Halo: Project for Extraterrestrials No.6
Long Mai—The Dragon Meridian: Project for Humankind No. 5
Oxford Comet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 17, The
Buried Civilization—Field Firings
Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10
Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9
Wailing Wall—From the Engine of 400 Cars
Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9
Primeval Fireball: The Project for Projects (1991) - Tokyo, Japan
Immensity of Heaven and Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 11, The
Rebuilding the Berlin Wall: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 7
Certain Lunar Eclipse: Project for Humankind No. 2, A
Bigfoot's Footprints: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 6
Reviving the Ancient Signal Towers: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 8
Vague Border at the Edge of Time/Space Project, The
Immensity of Heaven and Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 11, The
Immensity of Heaven and Earth: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 11, The
Inverted Pyramid on the Moon: Project for Humankind No. 3
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on Their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9
I Am an Extraterrestrial, Project for Meeting with Tenjin (Heavenly Gods): Project for Extraterrestrials No. 4
Fetus Movement: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5
Project to Extend the Great Wall of China by 10,000 Meters: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 10
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on Their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on Their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on Their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
45.5 Meteorite Craters Made by Humans on Their 45.5 Hundred Million Year Old Planet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 3
Ascending Dragon: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 2
Bigfoot's Footprints: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 6
A Certain Lunar Eclipse: Project for Humankind No. 2
Fetus Movement: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 5
Fetus Movement II: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 9
I Am an Extraterrestrial, Project for Meeting with Tenjin (Heavenly Gods): Project for Extraterrestrials No. 4
Inverted Pyramid on the Moon: Project for Humankind No. 3
Human Abode: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 1
Reviving the Ancient Signal Towers: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 8
Ascending Dragon: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 2
Ascending Dragon: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 2
Ascending Dragon: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 2
Ancient Brand
Rebuilding the Berlin Wall: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 7
Crater
Human Abode: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 1
Self-Portrait: A Subjugated Soul
The Vague Border at the Edge of Time/Space Project
Space No. 1