Imagine: a helium balloon for kids, but 50,000 times bigger, suspending a ladder in the sky…and it’s on fire. That’s what Chinese fire artist, Cai Guo-Qiang, imagined and created. He lit up the 1,650-ft tall ladder and illuminated the sky above Huiyu Island in Quanzhou.
You’ve probably never seen something quite like this before and it’s highly likely you wont see very often at all because of the enormous effort involved.
Unfortunately there’s no official video footage of this amazing pyrotechnic artwork, but several spectators did take some photos and videos with their smartphones. Some of which you can view in the following gallery.
The artist used, among others things, the tide of the island harbor to prepare his work. He set several ships carrying all of the materials on the sand while creating a stable platform at a safe distance from the viewers.
Then Guo-Qiang himself inspected everything before attaching it to the balloon and engulfing the ladder in flames.
The ladder consisted of hundreds of burning fuses and had golden fireworks attached to it.
“Behind Sky Ladder lies a clear childhood dream of mine”. Guo-Qiang said about his fiery masterpiece, “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”.
So it’s quite possible Guo-Qiang will create a similar piece in the future… Stay tuned!
