Tuesday was test day at Cai Guo-Qiang's Kirby warehouse studio, offering a clue on what to expect at tonight's ignition of the gunpowder artist's explosive drawings. As spectators observed from bleachers, Cai layered bamboo and wisteria branches, different varieties of gunpowder, fuses and paper onto a test panel.

"It's very technical today," explained MFAH Asian art curator, Christine Starkman. "He wants to think about each section, determining the different gunpowder and paper."

The subsequent test ignition was just a preview of the display that will take place this evening to create Cai's Odyssey, leaving spectators eager for more.

"I was totally, totally impressed when I saw the outcome of this piece," marveled audience member Lee Cage. "I had no idea it would be so fantastic and so gorgeous. I could just look at it for hours, because I see so many things in it."

A fellow audience participant, Julie Wong, said of the blast, "It was not what I expected. I thought it was going to be louder."

Wong originally learned about the event via an e-mail message to MFAH members, and although she didn't have time to act as a volunteer, she was eager to take advantage of one of the six viewing sessions. After the test explosion, she anticipated having a Phaidon catalogue about Cai signed by the artist.

Through a translator, Cai spoke to the audience about his impressions of the test.

"The vines on top are pretty good, but the bamboo on the bottom is not so great," he said, "so I'm trying to think of other methods." Since the test was "sort of successful," he hopes that this evening's ignition will be better because of the actual explosion's larger scale.

"All of you here will be on an adventure with me," Cai told the audience, "having the same anxieties as we anticipate the ignition."

For a world-renowned artist to express his anxieties and the intricacies of his technique to a crowd of strangers is a unique experience for Houston audiences to behold. Following tonight's explosions, museum members will preview the installed panels of Odyssey on Friday, Oct. 15. The new Arts of China gallery will open to the public on Sunday, Oct. 17.

Listen to Cai's test experiment here:

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Editor's note: If you don't have one of the few coveted tickets to watch Cai's gunpowder art explode in person at the warehouse (and they are all sold out), you can watch a livestream on CultureMap.com.

There will also be an off-site viewing party held at Saint Arnold Brewing Company from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. The first 100 guests will be admitted free, courtesy of MFAH. After that, admission is $7.