Art Beijing: New Possibilities

Art Beijing: New Possibilities

Art Beijing returns this week, bringing together 160 institutions from around the world. The fair offers an international platform for contemporary art, design and photography, celebrating China’s rich artistic landscape and engaging with timely themes including digitalisation, sustainability and community.

The event is split into four main strands. For example, The Contemporary and Classic sections bring together historical and 21st century works. Displaying time-honoured techniques and innovative methods side-by-side, exhibitors such as  the Hive Centre for Contemporary Art, Beijing; Pékin Fine Arts Gallery, Beijing; Barry Friedman, New York and the British Council emphasise the breadth of artistic practice. The collections foreground China’s significant contribution to the market, showcasing a range of cutting-edge pieces that engage with contemporary life. The special exhibition, Art! World, demonstrates the universal language of creative practice, and is accompanied by a series of talks addressing key ideas of communication and education.

2018’s Photo Beijing, which runs alongside the main show, focuses on the effects of rapid technological growth. The 16 featured artists investigate photography and video work in the 21st century, demonstrating the possibilities of art in the digital age. Looking to the future, the fair’s Design strand looks at responsive solutions, foregrounding the relationship between practitioners and consumers. Using the everyday as inspiration, brands on display offer forward-thinking innovations, moving beyond notions of supply and demand to provide more nuanced, bespoke objects.

In addition to these collections, this year’s fair offers a section dedicated to the youth art market, foregrounding emerging practitioners across a range of media. Other notable events include Moving Museum in Nature, the Art Park Public Exhibition, which creates connections between installations and the wider environment. Addressing a burgeoning desire to connect with nature, the show provides a new exhibition model, providing the possibility for a travelling outdoor institution that bridges the boundaries between urban and rural landscapes. Split into the three parts across the city, the collection includes works by Chen Xi, Liu Ruowang, Chen Wenling, Jing Xiaolei, Song Jianshu, Xi Hua and Zheng Lu.

Until 2 May. Find out more here.

Credits:
1. Haiku, by Glas Italia.