Beijing
It was snowing the day I arrived in Beijing which was very rare. Apparently it has not snowed for a couple of years and people took it as a good luck sign. It was also the day that the Congress confirmed a “no term limits” policy on Xi Jinping’s Presidency.
China has drastically changed, each time I visit this country it is a “new” China.
I was traveling with a group from the Guggenhiem museum. The Museum had hosted a very successful Chinese exhibition, Art and China after 1989: Theater of The World which will go on to Bilbao and the San Francisco Museum of Art . We visited lenders to the exhibition, artists, donors and top collectors in their homes, apartments and private museums.
In Beijing the most significant contemporary art neighborhood is in the 798 Art District. It is like Chelsea in New York City.
As we walked through this area we saw many familiar and well established galleries such as Long March Space, Pace Beijing, Galleria Continua and M Woods.
Some of the artists we visited like Liu Wei, Cao Fei, Yu Hong, graciously allowed us into their studios and spoke about their work (at times through a Chinese interpreter).
A visit to Hao Liang studio is a special treat. Ink paintings and scrolls are part of China’s art DNA. He revived these ancient techniques into contemporary beautiful scroll paintings. They are breath taking.
Qiu Zhijie is a brilliant map-making artist. He uses political, sociological, anthropological themes and a little humor to create dazzling maps. One can spend hours reading the intricate areas of these phenomenal maps.
Liu Dan uses a method of ink and brush work that is contemporary but based on classical traditions. He incorporates many art movements into his work such as Ming, Cubists and Renaissance art. He demonstrated how he uses ink and brush stokes in the most masterful way.
Shanghai
Again we visited galleries in Shanghai. Many were in the Moganshan
Art District, 50 Maganshan Road (M50).
One of the highlights was a visit to the CC Foundation. Founders Kelly Ying and her husband David Chau supports the creative development of emerging artists. They are an art “power house” young couple with amazing energy who also created art fairs in Shanghai. On view were sculptures by Los Angeles artist, Kathleen Ryan.
A visit to the Fosun Foundation is a thrilling experience. One sees the dramatic development which is directly across from the Bund. The foundation hired the British firm Foster+Partners with Heatherwick Studios to create this exciting complex of buildings that house an art museum, boutiques, offices and theater. On view was international artists Tomas Saraceno: Areographies.
A visit to K11 Art Center was an innovation. The beautiful gallery space is in a shopping mall. K11 art center hosts various exhibitions, forums and generates unexpected ways for the general public to engage with contemporary art. On view was a gorgeous retrospective of Betty Woodman’s sculpture.
The West Bund District is booming. This ambitious development is backed by the government and it is growing fast. The goal is to bring together domestic and foreign leaders in the fields of culture, video, fashion design and innovative finance to create a world-class water front area.
Two museums we visited in the area was the Yuz Museum, founded by Chinese Inonesian collector Budi Tek and the Long Art Museum founded by Lui Yiqian and Wang Wei. The Long Art Museum is one of the largest private art institutions in China. Their focus is on traditional and modern Chinese art.
Another highlight of the day was a visit to the studio of Ding Yi, born in Shanghai his practice incorporates painting, sculpture, architectural grids and crosses.
One of the most interesting shows on view in the Tank Shanghai area was an exhibition of private collections of over 20 leading private collectors. It was very interesting and they produced a very helpful catalog highlighting the names of the collectors and their favorite chosen works.
A dinner at Pearl Lam’s home is one of the most glamorous thing one can experience in Shanghai. Her collection of art, furniture, decorative arts and magnificent tableware is a visual overload. The idea that she can seat 63 people at a long table for dinner is mind blowing. She is a most gracious, and articulate hostess. Lam always invites fascinating people from the literary world, the art world, the travel world and politics to her renowned dinner parties. Her guests are always stimulating and interesting.
Artists around the world try to find large, inexpensive spaces to use as their studios. Chinese artists are no exception. It took a while to drive to the amazing art complex of Xu Zhen and his MadeIn Company. His gigantic art compound and company is devoted to researching and creating contemporary art. Many artists are working in his studio and it is an exciting place to visit and worth the ride.
New to Shanghai is the Prada Rong Zhai Mansion. This art foundation that opened in 2017 is a unique exhibition space located in a beautiful restored 20th Century mansion. On view was “Roma 1950–1965”, curated by Germano Celant. Be sure to take time to walk in the beautiful gardens.
One of my favorite museums is the Rockbund Art Museum. Founded by Thomas and Lynn Ou. They have extraordinary programming. The last time I was in Shanghai they showed Ugo Rondinone’s clowns. This new exhibition is from the private collection of Sandretto Re Rebaudengo From Turin, which is very exciting.
China today is full of energy and growth. It is an exciting country to visit. One can not understand the 21st Century unless you visit China and see what the Chinese people have accomplished in 20 years. The Chinese culture has gone from bicycles to Mercedes Benz cars and from Mao jackets to Chanel suits in a very short time. Their accomplishments have been dramatic and extraordinary.
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