China is well known for its rich artistic tradition, but to Westerners it can often seem as though China's art is frozen in an era of golden dragons and lacquerware. Not so, as two major shows in Shanghai will demonstrate this September — both within easy distance from the Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel.
The Shanghai Art Museum, housed in a former horse-racing club on the People's Square, hosts the Shanghai Biennale from Sept. 8 through Nov. 16, organized on the theme "Translocalmotion." The show will spill out of the museum and into the square itself, interacting with the buildings, street and other environmental details. And on Sept. 10-13 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, ShContemporary 2008 showcases more than 100 galleries in over 20 countries around the Asia Pacific region as well as Europe, with the aim of creating a "dialogue between the Occident and the Orient."
If the two shows don't fill your brain to capacity, head to the nearby MoCA Shanghai where even more of the cutting edge of China's art scene is on display.
