Guo Cheng

Guo Cheng

China

 

Born in 1988 in Beijing, Guo Cheng, an artist, currently lives and works in Shanghai. His practice mainly focuses on exploring the mutual impact and influence of established and emerging technologies on society and culture, as well as the relationship between social life and the individuals involved. Often presented as sculptures and installations, Guo Cheng's works use humorous yet grim language to link grand issues with seemingly random objects from daily life, providing critical perspectives for discussion. He received the Porsche “Young Chinese Artist of the Year” Award (Shanghai, 2021), Ars Electronica Honorary Mentions (Linz, 2020); CAC://DKU Research & Creation Fellowship (Shanghai, 2020); STARTS Prize Nomination (Linz, 2020); Digital Earth fellowship (2018–2019); Special Jury Prize of Huayu Youth Award (Sanya, 2018); Bio-Art & Design Award, (Hague, 2017), etc.

The (temporary) Gadget No.1

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

Photo：Cao Daxu, Guo Cheng

200 × 10 × 150 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.3

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

50 x 10 x 250 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.4

Air conditioning external support, Arduino, custom circuit, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube

150 x 100 x 180 cm

2019

 

In the nearly half-century between the Trinity test in 1945, the symbol of the beginning of the human era, and

the global cessation of surface nuclear testing in 1989, more than a thousand nuclear tests caused background radiation in the atmosphere to reach unprecedented levels. As the natural decay of radioactive elements in

the atmosphere continues, the background radiation intensity will decrease by the exponential curve.

The (temporary) Gadget Series consists of various materials and ready-made circuit boards as well as other modular, and the Geiger Muller tube at the end of its long pole detects the radiation level in the atmosphere and vibrates as it receives radiation ions, until the background radiation intensity decay to the level before the time of the Anthropocene.

The “temporary” in the title “The (temporary) Gadget Series” indicates that this decay time can theoretically be calculated. But while surface nuclear experiments have been banned, other human activities continue to produce radiation particles. The time of decay can be regarded as “temporary” on a geological time scale, but it might be also regarded as “permanent” on the time scale of the Homo sapiens. “Gadget” is also the name of the  rst nuclear bomb that exploded in the Trinity experiment.

The (temporary) Gadget No.1

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

Photo：Cao Daxu, Guo Cheng

200 × 10 × 150 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.3

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

50 x 10 x 250 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.4

Air conditioning external support, Arduino, custom circuit, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube

150 x 100 x 180 cm

2019

 

In the nearly half-century between the Trinity test in 1945, the symbol of the beginning of the human era, and

the global cessation of surface nuclear testing in 1989, more than a thousand nuclear tests caused background radiation in the atmosphere to reach unprecedented levels. As the natural decay of radioactive elements in

the atmosphere continues, the background radiation intensity will decrease by the exponential curve.

The (temporary) Gadget Series consists of various materials and ready-made circuit boards as well as other modular, and the Geiger Muller tube at the end of its long pole detects the radiation level in the atmosphere and vibrates as it receives radiation ions, until the background radiation intensity decay to the level before the time of the Anthropocene.

The “temporary” in the title “The (temporary) Gadget Series” indicates that this decay time can theoretically be calculated. But while surface nuclear experiments have been banned, other human activities continue to produce radiation particles. The time of decay can be regarded as “temporary” on a geological time scale, but it might be also regarded as “permanent” on the time scale of the Homo sapiens. “Gadget” is also the name of the  rst nuclear bomb that exploded in the Trinity experiment.

The (temporary) Gadget No.1

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

Photo：Cao Daxu, Guo Cheng

200 × 10 × 150 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.3

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

50 x 10 x 250 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.4

Air conditioning external support, Arduino, custom circuit, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube

150 x 100 x 180 cm

2019

 

In the nearly half-century between the Trinity test in 1945, the symbol of the beginning of the human era, and

the global cessation of surface nuclear testing in 1989, more than a thousand nuclear tests caused background radiation in the atmosphere to reach unprecedented levels. As the natural decay of radioactive elements in

the atmosphere continues, the background radiation intensity will decrease by the exponential curve.

The (temporary) Gadget Series consists of various materials and ready-made circuit boards as well as other modular, and the Geiger Muller tube at the end of its long pole detects the radiation level in the atmosphere and vibrates as it receives radiation ions, until the background radiation intensity decay to the level before the time of the Anthropocene.

The “temporary” in the title “The (temporary) Gadget Series” indicates that this decay time can theoretically be calculated. But while surface nuclear experiments have been banned, other human activities continue to produce radiation particles. The time of decay can be regarded as “temporary” on a geological time scale, but it might be also regarded as “permanent” on the time scale of the Homo sapiens. “Gadget” is also the name of the  rst nuclear bomb that exploded in the Trinity experiment.

The (temporary) Gadget No.1

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

Photo：Cao Daxu, Guo Cheng

200 × 10 × 150 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.3

Custom circuit, Arduino, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube, cement brick

50 x 10 x 250 cm

2018

 

The (temporary) Gadget No.4

Air conditioning external support, Arduino, custom circuit, Geiger Muller tube, aluminum, carbon fiber tube

150 x 100 x 180 cm

2019

 

In the nearly half-century between the Trinity test in 1945, the symbol of the beginning of the human era, and

the global cessation of surface nuclear testing in 1989, more than a thousand nuclear tests caused background radiation in the atmosphere to reach unprecedented levels. As the natural decay of radioactive elements in

the atmosphere continues, the background radiation intensity will decrease by the exponential curve.

The (temporary) Gadget Series consists of various materials and ready-made circuit boards as well as other modular, and the Geiger Muller tube at the end of its long pole detects the radiation level in the atmosphere and vibrates as it receives radiation ions, until the background radiation intensity decay to the level before the time of the Anthropocene.

The “temporary” in the title “The (temporary) Gadget Series” indicates that this decay time can theoretically be calculated. But while surface nuclear experiments have been banned, other human activities continue to produce radiation particles. The time of decay can be regarded as “temporary” on a geological time scale, but it might be also regarded as “permanent” on the time scale of the Homo sapiens. “Gadget” is also the name of the  rst nuclear bomb that exploded in the Trinity experiment.

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