The J. Paul Getty Museum kicked off its PST ART: Art & Science Collide event series last Sunday, September 15, with a fiery collaboration with Chinese pyrotechnics artist Cai Guo-Qiang at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Falling debris from the fireworks struck several attendees during this event, which also induced commotion around the University of Southern California (USC) campus and surrounding neighborhoods.
Over 4,000 guests attended the free, ticketed fireworks display, which commenced at around 6:20pm and lasted between 20 and 30 minutes, unfolding over five acts that continuously escalated in explosive extravagance. The Art Newspaper reported that several attendees were struck by stone-like byproducts of the fireworks that rained down on the crowd, and that some of the injured required first aid.
“Unfortunately, pieces of debris fell on some people,” Getty spokesperson Alexandria Sivak told the Art Newspaper, acknowledging that an undisclosed number of people required first aid. “Of course this is distressing to us, and we have expressed our concern to the people for whom we have contact information.”
Sivak declined to comment further on the matter to Hyperallergic, and Cai Guo-Qiang’s studio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Outside of the venue, high-volume, crackling blasts and the rising blanket of smoke billowing from the Coliseum raised alarm for many who weren’t briefed on the specifics of the event. Questions and videos poured forth on social media from USC students wondering if their lives were in danger and other Angelenos concerned about bombardments.
Interviewed by CBS/KCAL News, several USC students mentioned that they thought they had to evacuate the campus and immediately checked in with their friends. A nearby resident shared that she thought bombs had gone off. Art journalist Carol Cheh affirmed their concerns.”Look at what happened in Lebanon,” she told the outlet in reference to recent coordinated explosions of tampered-with personal devices that killed dozens and injured thousands.
Acknowledging the startled responses and backlash, the Getty issued a public statement indicating its awareness of and regret for its role in disturbing locals with the fireworks, but noted that “the Coliseum followed its normal process for events held at the stadium and notified municipal partners.”