Remembering the late Graham Halstead, Director of the Museum of Modern Art, Oxford, who oversaw Cai’s 1993 explosion event “The Oxford Comet: Project for Extraterrestrials No. 17” and his participation in the group exhibition “Silent Energy.”
Cai: I never really knew Graham Halstead’s age, because in my memory, whenever we were together, although he was already a director at Modern Art Oxford, he seemed just like you and me — a child at heart.
I still remember the time we went punting on the river in Oxford. Unexpectedly, it was he who fell into the water by accident. It gave us all a fright, but it was also such a joyful moment!
At the time, I proposed staying in Oxford for a month. As a poor artist, I wanted to take the opportunity to explore the Oxford area for free, which went beyond the length of time the museum should really have been expected to host me. That was why we stayed at the family home instead. Graham never objected, and on weekends he even drove us to many different places. He took me to visits that later became important to my work — Stonehenge, ancient castles, crop circles… Looking back now, he must really have been put through a lot by us!
My dear Jo, Laurence, and Minka, please accept my deepest condolences to you and your family. I believe these precious fragments of the life and artistic journey we shared with Graham will remain with you, as it has with all the artists who worked with him, including me and Hong Hong, my daughters, and the next generation after us. As long as we still remember him and still tell his stories, he will remain by our side.
Remembering the inimitable Agnes Gund today at her Celebration of Life, Cathedral of St John the Divine.
Photos of Cai and Agnes Gund from 2005, when she led the MoMA International Council’s visit to Cai Studio. Photos of the memorial by Clara Leverenz
