PST ART Opening Event: Cai Guo-Qiang's "WE ARE"

A spectacular realization of Art & Science Collide, PST ART will open to the public with WE ARE: Explosion Event for PST ART, a monumental artwork by world-renowned artist Cai Guo-Qiang and his custom AI model cAI™ (pronounced AI Cai), newly commissioned by Getty. Presented by Getty in collaboration with the University of Southern California, WE ARE will take place at the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 15.

A unique experience for only 5,000 guests on the field of the LA Coliseum, this is a limited capacity program. As of 9.12, it is fully sold out.

Composed of "daytime fireworks"—a signature form of Cai’s art that uses organic, sustainable pigments and dyes rather than traditional pyrotechnics—WE ARE will mark the first expansive daytime firework event featuring a drone formation equipped with pyrotechnic products in U.S. history.

WE ARE will feature nearly ten thousand twinkling mini firework shells installed throughout the seating bowl of the Coliseum, custom-developed daytime fireworks, and choreographed drones carrying pyrotechnic products, which will transform the Coliseum, illuminating the skies above downtown LA. The result is a visual story full of mystery and wonder, igniting the sky with images that showcase the relationship between humanity and AI suggests a present-day parallel to the myth of Prometheus’s theft of fire from the gods, with AI’s reduced dimensionality seeming to reveal a “heavenly secret."

“Is humanity’s creation of AI akin to the theft of fire and an attempt to steal the ‘heavenly secret’ with AI? …I hope WE ARE will stand as a grand gesture of the art world integrating the virtual with the real in the era of AI, and also as a powerful voice and decisive action in these turbulent times.” – Cai Guo-Qiang

Support

PST ART is presented by Getty. The lead sponsors supporting PST ART are Bank of America, Alicia Miñana & Rob Lovelace, and the Getty Patron Program. Additional support is provided by the Simons Foundation; Eva & Ming Hsieh, Co-Founders of Fulgent Genetics; and Peggy & Andrew Cherng, Co-Chairs and Co-CEOs of Panda Express. Major support for WE ARE is provided by Yan Luo, Ellen & Dominic Ng, Haiyan Ren, Elizabeth Segerstrom, and Sophia & Anqiang Zhang.

F.A.Q.s

1. Can I bring water?
   Factory sealed bottles of water, 17 oz. or less, are allowed and limited to 2 bottles per person. Water will also be available for purchase upon entry.
   
2. Can I bring my own camera?
   Guests are allowed to bring still cameras provided they do not have detachable lenses and do not interfere with other guests’ view of the event. Camera lenses are limited to 3-inches. Video cameras and tripods are not permitted.
   
3. Will I be standing the whole time?
   This is not a seated event; if you require accommodation, please reach out to staff on-site, or by email.
   
4. How early should I arrive?
   It is recommended that guests arrive early in the day to explore the PST ART exhibits at neighboring institutions but if only coming for WE ARE, it is recommended to arrive to gate 20-30 minutes before check-in. Please be advised that Gate 8 to the Coliseum will close at 5:30 PM sharp for final clearance before the launch of pyrotechnic devices. After this time, we cannot allow any guests to enter for safety reasons. We kindly ask all attendees to arrive well before this time to ensure a smooth entry.
   
5. If I don't have a ticket, can I come to Exposition Park and view the activation from outside the grounds?
   Yes, while there are no official outside viewing areas, it is recommended to view from the Natural History Museum lawn.
   
6. What's the parking situation?
   We highly encourage you to use public transportation or ride share to avoid parking delays.

Arriving by Public Transportation

The following transit lines have routes that pass near Expo Park/USC Metro Station

• Bus: 102, 2, 204, 550, 754.

• Metro Light Rail: E LINE (Use Expo Park/USC Station).

Arriving by Car

Self-paid parking is available at the Exposition Park Orange Lot

If using a rideshare app, please enter “Exposition Park Green Lot” as the destination.