Vimeo: The installation--over the course of 4 days in January 2014--of Xu Bing's 12-ton sculpture "Phoenix," two birds the artist first began to construct in 2008 in Beijing.
Xu Bing, a renowned contemporary artist, created this pair of mythical Chinese phoenixes from construction debris, tools and objects used in the daily lives of migrant laborers in Beijing. Each bird weighs approximately 6 tons and measures 100 ft. First exhibited in Beijing, they are currently on display at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, New York City.
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Very cool video of a massive process. Teamwork! I like when the center section of LEDs are tested early on, starting at about 40 seconds in. Back in 2009, I saw Xu Bing give a great lecture at CMU through the School of Art. A few years earlier, I remember being captivated by Bing’s Monkeys Grasp for the Moon at the Smithsonian in Washington DC. I admit that I have not kept up with his more recent work, so this was a delight to watch. I am going to make it a point to see the phoenixes in person in NYC this summer.
In the links below from Xu Bing’s website, there are some great photos of when Phoenix Project was installed in Beijing (2007-2010), and MASS MoCA (2012-2013). Truly breathtaking when lit at night!
http://www.xubing.com/index.php/site/projects/year/2010/phoenix_project
http://www.xubing.com/index.php/site/projects/year/2012/xu_bing_phoenix
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