Arc'teryx, Artist Apologize After Tibet Fireworks

Arc'teryx sponsored a daytime fireworks artwork by Cai Guo‑Qiang—called “Rising Dragon” or “Ascending Dragon”—that traced a dragon‑like line of pyrotechnics across a mountainside near Shigatse in Tibet, in the Himalayan foothills. The display used gunpowder and colored smoke and provoked intense public and environmentalist backlash for allegedly damaging a fragile ecosystem and disrespecting mountains many Tibetans regard as sacred. Videos of the event circulated widely on Chinese social media, drawing millions of views and prompting local authorities in Shigatse to open an investigation. Cai and Arc'teryx issued apologies; Arc'teryx said it accepted responsibility, deployed a team on the ground, pledged a cleanup and a third‑party environmental assessment, and acknowledged the stunt ran counter to its conservation values. Critics and rights groups say the event contradicts Arc'teryx's outdoor‑protection image and raises broader questions about cultural sensitivity and approvals for commercial spectacles in climate‑sensitive regions.