Photograph: Courtesy © Pond Society. Photos by Hong Zhang.
From experimental contemporary art projects inquiring into philosophical entities to light and music spectacles reviving Art Nouveau artworks in a never-before-seen format, here are 7 art exhibitions happening in Shanghai this summer you'll definitely want to check out.
Photograph: via hiveart.cn
The 10-year-old Beijing-based Hive Center for Contemporary Art opened two art spaces in Shanghai earlier this month. As the first exhibition presented by Hive Shanghai, "Row the Boat as You Wish" features artworks from an array of post-70s Chinese artists, who are said to be the most "dynamic and influential" generation of artists in the post-reform era. The exhibition title was borrowed from German director Werner Herzog's film, Fitzcarraldo, and alludes to the values of activism and socio-political awakening. The exhibition is curated by the founder of Hive Center for Contemporary Art, Xia Jifeng, and presents artworks by 10 artists.
Hive Center for Contemporary Art Shanghai, 270 Beijing Dong Lu. 10 June - 18 July. Visit hiveart.cn for more information.
Photograph: via WeChat official "Hollys Space"
Artists Xiong Yu, Li Feilin, Zhang Jiaying, and Wang Haoyang present 37 pieces of their most recent artworks in the exhibition titled "Holzwege: To Pursue the Truth". In his book Holzwege, Martin Heidegger delves into philosophical entities such as "essence" and "meaning of being". As an extension of Heidegger's inquiry, this exhibition opens up the philosophical conversation under three main themes, namely "Approaching the Self", "Romantic Purity" and "Future Generations". Just like how "holzwege" translates to "wood-ways" or "off the beaten path", the exhibition unveils the respective paths that the artists have taken to approach the subject of essence and dialoging with the self.
Holly's Space, 2F, Zhongyi Building, 270 Beijing Dong Lu. 10 June - 26 July. Book your visit in advance via WeChat official Hollys Space.
Photograph: via WeChat official "WWAC奇观"
Perhaps you are already quite familiar with the Wonderful Wonders Art Center that popped up on the bund earlier this year. Having previously hosted the "Bon Voyage, Claude Monet" show which made quite a splash in the Shanghai art scene, WWAC now brings to its audience another mind-blowing light and music spectacle showcasing Gustav Klimt's paintings in a never-before-seen format. Together with Dirty Monitor, WWAC uses the most advanced projection technology to bring hundred-year-old paintings back to life. It's a transcendental experience you absolutely cannot miss.
WWAC, 198 Yangshupu Lu, North Bund. 1 July - 10 October. Purchase tickets via WeChat official WWAC奇观.
Photograph: Courtesy © Pond Society. Photos by Hong Zhang.
A two-part group exhibition bringing together 12 contemporary painters from different parts of the world, PUBLIC PRIVATE is a survey of the everyday, from interior spaces to nature and landscapes, while addressing themes such as the relationship between the private and the public, subject and object, fictional and documentary, past and present, etc. Curated by Dr. Jareh Das, this exhibitions features artworks by Anthony Cudahy, Caroline Walker, Dominic Chambers, Hyegyeong Choi, Jonny Negron, SarahSlappey and Tunji Adeniyi-Jones in Part I, and GaHee Park, Hayley Barker, Michaela Yearwood-Dan, Sarah Lee and Ulala Imai in Part II.
Pond Society, 2555-4 Longteng Dadao. Part I: 10 June - 20 July. Part II: 30 July - 7 September.
Photograph: via WeChat official "Vanguard Gallery"
Contemporary Chinese artist Liao Fei presents his latest works in the exhibition titlted "Physics Temple", a series of works looking into the relationship between the material and the spiritual. The exhibition consists of two chapters, "Chiral Extent" and "Circle Grant". The former displays sculptures inspired by Buddhist gestures Liao Fei discovered during his recent residency in Tibet, while the latter showcases paper-based works that also pay tribute to traditional Tibetan designs. The exhibition runs until August 12th, and is jointly hosted by Vanguard Gallery and Tinho Art Space.
Vanguard Gallery, A204, Bldg 4, 50 Moganshan Lu. 3 June - 12 August.
Photograph: via pearllam.com
"The Shape of Time" is a group exhibition presenting works from artists Zhu Jinshi, Ni Zhiqi, Wang Xiaosong, Chen Yufan, Ren Ri and Zhu Peihong. As its title suggests, the exhibition explores the concept of time, specificially what role time plays in the creative process and how artists and their audience express and perceive and time in their own vocabularies. The six exhibiting artists all have varying styles and artistic languages. The exhibition is a testament to how different artists make use of the artistic rhetoric in their respective artworks.
Pearl Lam Galleries, Rm 203, 2F, 117 Xianggang Lu. 8 June - 31 August.
Photograph: via WeChat official "库比森画廊"
A rising star in Shanghai's art scene, Cub_ism_Artspace was founded by a team of young artists and curators who are determined to promote contemporary while prioritizing the "curatorial language". Their latest exhibition, in celebration of the reopening of the space after its relocation, "Multiple Refractions: The Ghost of Modernism" brings back many talented contemporary artists who previously worked with the art space. Together, they once again enunciate their commitment to explore different practices and styles expressed through figurative art, in hopes of inspiring new ideas in the legacy of modernism. The exhibiting artists include Gao Ge, Grace Tobin, Hua Shuchen, Jess Allen, Lilyjon, Ni Hao, Sonia Jia, Wang Weiwei and Yan Bingqing.
Cub_ism_ Artspace, 201-205, 33 Sichuan Zhong Lu. 3 June - 15 July.
