Cai Guoqiang''s large retrospective exhibition named “Cai Guoqiang: steeping in the gallery” is underway in Taiwan. Yesterday, his new sculpture “Strait” arrived in Taiwan by sea.

This gigantic sculpture is 3.92*4.26*1meters, weighing 9 tons. It is sculpted in the shape of Taiwan Strait. The sculpture is made of Quanzhou granite, which was called “ballasting rock” in Qing dynasty. At that time, the Taiwan merchants put large granites on the bottom of the ship in order to keep ships balanced and steady under strong wind and waves. When the ships reached the shore of Taiwan, the frugal locals used the granites to build roads, bridges and temples. Today, you will see these granites in the historic sites of Taiwan. Ballasting rocks has witness the history of China mainland and Taiwan.

When Cai Guoqiang heard the story of ballasting rocks, he was impressed and impulsive to create a works on ballasting rocks.

Wuqingyou, organizer of the exhibition said, " Cai Guoqiang depicts the history transcending centuries by only one wroks." Xie Xiaoyun, director of Taipei Municipal Gallery, pointed that the sculptur “Strait” comes fro the mainland, which is of far-reaching historical significance. She believes the development of the two sides of the strait will be written into the history.