Artist Jacky Tsai reaches for the stars

Contemporary artist Jacky Tsai has made history – again. On May 17, he transformed a real rocket into a soaring canvas, successfully launching it into space.

Best known for his vibrant fusion of Chinese cultural symbolism and Western pop art aesthetics, Jacky Tsai first gained attention through his early work in the fashion world, where his bold visual language began to take shape. His creative universe has continued to expand through high-profile collaborations with cultural heavyweights like Jay Chou – blending visual storytelling with musical influence to celebrate modern Chinese identity. Over the years, Tsai's work has appeared in galleries around the world, on luxury fashion collections, NFT platforms, cruise ships and even megastructures – blurring the boundaries between fine art and commercial design.

With this latest cosmic feat, Jacky becomes the first artist to create across land, sea, air and now the cosmos – pushing the limits of where and what art can be. His rocket artwork not only marks a bold leap in artistic expression but also represents a powerful dialogue between tradition and innovation. Our host Louisa Lee meets him inside a rocket factory to uncover the story behind this extraordinary, history-making achievement.