Painting with gunpowder 

Invented in China around the 9th century, the birth of gunpowder was actually an accident. It was created inadvertently by Taoist alchemists while attempting to make an elixir of immortality.

Cai Guo-Qiang began to experiment with gunpowder in his hometown of Quanzhou. Since then, the 1,000-year-old material has inspired him to create breathtaking pyrotechnic artworks around the world, including the ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

For Once Upon a Try, Cai Guo-Qiang wanted to celebrate the invention of gunpowder and the influence it has had on his work by paying tribute to one of the greatest inventors of all time: Leonardo da Vinci, who was himself fascinated by gunpowder and even designed cannons.

We asked Cai Guo-Qiang to tell us about his artistic material of choice, gunpowder. From China to Italy, follow Cai Guo-Qiang in this exclusive documentary.