Cai Guo-Qiang Gunpowder's Project impact On Qatar

From November 2011 through December 2011, I’ve been working with Chinese Contemporary Artist and Curator; Cai Guo-Qiang, hosted by Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Qatar. Cai initially began working with gunpowder to foster spontaneity and confront the suppressive, controlled artistic tradition and social climate in China.















While living in Japan from 1986 to 1995, Cai explored the properties of gunpowder in his drawings, an inquiry that eventually led to his experimentation with explosives on a massive scale and the development of his signature "explosion events". While I was participating in this project, I noticed that sociology has a very huge impact on the process was running on through the whole project. At the beginning, there was a huge discussion of hosting the Gunpowder Project here in Qatar by engaging the young generation with it, however, Mathaf has broke the norms by introducing the Gunpowder Project in Qatar. Everyone who heard about the huge explosion that is going to be held in Qatar got worried about it, however, the advertisement around Doha Town helped people to get engaged with the process of the project and actually people signed to participate in this new norm happening in Qatar.















From day one, I’ve been noticing many sociological aspects from culture, mcdonaldzation, to individuality vs. collectivism. Even though, it’s Cai’s individual artwork, he broke the norm by involving us the audience from China and Qatar, in his project by assigning us tasks to complete his work as a group instead. I found that he had assigned each participant with specific tasks and everyone would be working with efficiency, calculability, predictability under his control, which symbolize mcdonaldzation. On the other hand, the gender and ethnicity was not a problem with him at all. There were many people from this region and foreigners too collaborating in his project, which is a morality's gesture from him. By hosting here in Qatar I believe, he had a huge impact in spreading his culture through his Artworks by attracting the audience and engaging them to spread and share his values. I learned from this experience that, culture could be extent through many various ways rather than the old fashioned techniques; it needs only an influential vision and strength to accomplish the intention.





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The Project's Conclusion.

Style

When I was in London, my style was as eclectic, out-there and diverse as the city and the throngs of people that lived there. The rhythm of the city, the sights, sounds and colors influenced all my creativity and individuality in my choice of clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry. On the streets, there was such a mix of styles and personalities -- no one really dressed like the other but ironically, I think that sometimes, we were all alike in our common individuality.

When I came to Doha, it was a sort of a culture shock to me. It was much more reserved and the cultural norms were different from what I was used to. Coming here was difficult not only because I was leaving all my friends and the city I loved, but because I would have to put the brakes on the sort of weird and wonderful style I had created as my own and adjust it to suit the cultural norms of Qatar. I self-consciously reigned in my need to dress differently as I experienced the cultural gap between me and my new environment. Even though I wasn’t expected to wear the abaya, I felt myself to be restricted and my personality was drawn in.

Now being a student at VCUQ, we are encouraged to cross boundaries, express ourselves and be creative. Wanting to go to the Fashion Department, I was inspired to express myself through my clothes. Confidence in my fashion choices has increased and I am beginning to feel more at home. Interestingly, I am beginning to realize, that, in fact, quite often, sitting among my new friends, we all seem to be dressed quite similarly, while standing out as individual personalities. This fits the definition of subcultures. These are, according to Ferrante:

“Groups that share in some parts of the dominant culture but have their own distinctive values, norms, beliefs, symbols or material culture.”

I strongly believe if I had been in any of the other Education City universities, my style of dress would have been markedly different.