Holzwege opens at ShanghART inaugurating the new West Bund space and celebrating gallery s 20 th anniversary new images released

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1 PRESS RELEASE 9 NOVEMBER 2016 Holzwege opens at ShanghART inaugurating the new West Bund space and celebrating gallery s 20 th anniversary new images released ShanghART, Westbund, Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai Opening: 9 November 2016, PM 10 November February 2017 (Closed on Mondays) Installation view of Holzwege, ShanghART West Bund, Shanghai. 10 Nov Feb ShanghART is thrilled to celebrate its 20 th anniversary and the inauguration of its new gallery building located in West Bund with a major group exhibition titled Holzwege. Opening today (9 November), the exhibition serves as a retrospection of the gallery s role and contribution to the development of Chinese contemporary art, and at the same time looks ahead to the future of exciting collaborations with emerging Chinese artists and international artists. Holzwege opens today (9 November), to coincide with the 11 th Shanghai Biennale and ShanghART s participation in two leading international art fairs in Shanghai.

2 Installation view of Holzwege, ShanghART West Bund, Shanghai. 10 Nov Feb Installation view of Holzwege, ShanghART West Bund, Shanghai. 10 Nov Feb

3 Yu Youhan, 5 Women, 2001, acrylic on canvas, each 150 x 130 cm (x 5 pieces).. Left: Liang Shaoji, Lonely Cloud, 2016, wood, silk, cocoons, steel pipes, overall size 245 x 428 x 114 cm, wood size 75 x 428 x 80 cm, frame size 245 x 114 x 114 cm.. Right: Markus Lüpertz, Die Toilette (Märkisch), 2014, mixed media on canvas (in artist s frame), 100 x 163 cm.. ShanghART s new West Bund building..

4 "Wood" is an old name for forest. In the wood there are paths, mostly overgrown, that come to an abrupt stop where the wood is untrodden. They are called Holzwege. Each goes its separate way, though within the same forest. It often appears as if one is identical to another. But it only appears so. Woodcutters and forest keepers know these paths. They know what it means to be on a Holzweg. Martin Heidegger Inspired by German philosopher Martin Heidegger s Holzwege a term which describes an overgrown, rarely trodden forest path only recognisable to forest keepers and woodcutters, the exhibition examines how ShanghART and its artists have been exploring and setting the paths of contemporary art in China for the past twenty years, with the perseverance of Heidegger s woodcutters and forest keepers. In the exhibition, ShanghART showcases works by renowned Chinese artists such as Zeng Fanzhi, Ding Yi, Zhang Enli and Yang Fudong alongside works by emerging artists from China, such as Sun Xun, Zhao Yang and Ouyang Chun, as well as overseas artists, such as Jörg Immendorff and Apichatpong Weerasethakul, initiating rich and diverse new dialogues between local and international art communities. Each work stands on its own, and yet the theme of the exhibition resonates through all of them, as each artist expresses his/her own way of finding the Holzweg. Marked by its sustained growth and inclusive approach, ShanghART is recognised as a pioneer of and a witness to contemporary art s development in China, and has not ceased to innovate and carve out its own path since its establishment in Holzwege looks back on the ShanghART s development in the past two decades, and signifies a new start for the gallery. Occupying both floors of the gallery s new West Bund building, Holzwege is a substantially sized exhibition showcasing works ranging from large-scale sculptures, installations, video installations and performances. Ends Notes to Editors: Exhibiting artists: Chen Xiaoyun, Ding Yi, Guo Xi & Zhang Jianling, Geng Jianyi, Han Feng, Huang Kui, Jörg Immendorff, Lin Ke, Li Ming, Liang Shaoji, Liang Yue, Liu Yue, Liu Cunrui, Markus Lüpertz, Ouyang Chun,Shao Yi, Sun Xun, Wang Youshen, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Xu Zhen - Produced by MadeIn Company, Yu Youhan, Yang Fudong, Yang Zhenzhong, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhao Yang, Zhang Qing, Robert Zhao Renhui, Zhang Enli. ShanghART Gallery new West Bund building: ShanghART s new West Bund building opens to the public today, 9 November Built alongside the Huangpu River, the new space is located in a neighbourhood full of art galleries and institutions. The architecture of ShanghART s new building is defined by its contemporary appearance, which resembles the form of an industrial shipping container. The building boasts an exhibition space spread over two floors, a library, an image archive as well as additional multi-functional rooms.

5 About ShanghART: Founded in 1996, ShanghART Gallery is one of the first contemporary art galleries established in China. With spaces in Shanghai, Beijing and Singapore, ShanghART has been a driving force of the development of Chinese contemporary art for the past twenty years. Working closely together with over 40 artists, ShanghART regularly participates in the major international art fairs and collaborates with important art institutions in China and from all over the world. Press Contact: High resolution images can be downloaded from here. SUTTON Hong Kong Sybil Kot: sybil@suttonpr.com T M