Shenzhen Arts Week opens with exhibitions and public art

(From L) Artist Zhang Peili, China Merchants Culture General Manager Sun Qijie, artist Shen Yuan, curator Hou Hanru and an event host cut a ceremonial cake during the opening of Shenzhen Art Week at SWCAC in Shekou on Sunday. Photos courtesy of SWCAC

The Third Shenzhen Arts Week opened at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center (SWCAC) in Shekou on March 22, marking the start of a citywide celebration that links more than 100 art institutions across Shenzhen.

The program will showcase more than 220 exhibitions and art activities, presenting a diverse artistic landscape across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA).

At the heart of the SWCAC is a major moment for contemporary art: Shen Yuan’s first major solo exhibition in South China. Widely regarded as one of China’s most important contemporary female artists, Shen’s show brings together dozens of large-scale installations, paintings, and handwritten sketches on paper.

For this exhibition, Shen created a new work titled “Chengzhongcun, Cunzhongcheng” (“A Village in the City, a City in the Village”), offering a distinctive lens on Shenzhen’s unique development history.

Artist Shen Yuan (2nd L) and curator Cui Cancan (1st L) introduces one of her works to visitors in her solo exhibition at SWCAC. 

Visitors view a work by artist Shen Yuan at the SWCAC. 

Born in 1959 in Fujian Province, Shen graduated from the Zhejiang Academy of Art in 1982. Her works have been exhibited globally, including at institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum and the National Art Museum of China, as well as the Ullens Center for Contemporary Art. She has also appeared in biennales including the Venice Biennale, and her works are held in collections across museums and galleries worldwide.

Artists Shen Yuan (R) and Zhang Peili speak to visitors during the opening ceremony of the third Shenzhen Arts Week at the SWCAC. 

Another standout presentation is Zhang Peili’s first large-scale solo exhibition in the GBA. The show traces the artist’s creative journey across more than three decades, while also presenting several newly created works developed specifically for this exhibition.

Using a range of media including mechanical installations, video, multimedia interactive works, and archival material, the exhibition invites viewers in Shenzhen to engage in a contemporary experience that balances philosophical reflection with sensory immersion.

Born in 1957 in eastern China's Hangzhou, Zhang graduated from the China Academy of Art in 1984. In 2003, he founded a new media department at the academy. From 2012 to 2022, he served as executive director of the OCAT Shanghai gallery.

Installations by Zhang Peili.

Visitors view works by artist Zhang Peili in his solo exhibition at the SWCAC. 

At the same time, the SWCAC is also hosting “Making Places — Hou Hanru’s Curatorial Journey. Chapter 1: Home and Beyond.”

The exhibition launches an extended research initiative into artistic creation, cultural circulation, and how imagination shapes a globalized world, while exploring how art can build bridges across cultures.

Born in Guangzhou in 1963, Hou graduated with a master’s degree from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beiijng in 1988. Hou is a prolific writer and curator based in Paris and Rome. 

From 2013 to 2022, he served as artistic director of MAXXI, Rome’s National Museum of 21st Century Arts. He has also acted as a consultant for numerous prestigious institutions, including the Power Station of Art (PSA) in Shanghai, the Today Art Museum in Guangdong, the Bund Contemporary Art Museum in Shanghai, and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. 

In addition, Hou has taught at institutions such as the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and the School of Visual Arts in New York.

Works of art by Shen Yuan.

Beyond indoor galleries, residents and visitors have another way to experience art close to everyday life through the ongoing Shenzhen Bay Public Art Season, with Shekou serving as one of its key areas, along with Taiziwan and the University Town.

Shekou has invited eight representative artists from China and abroad to present a public art experience dubbed the “Shekou Art Roaming” program. Works including “Time” by Song Dong, “Tao Tian” by Liang Shaoji, “Fantasy Drift · An Invitation of Color” by Zhou Yilun, “Lantern House” by Korean artist Ahn Eun, and “Tomorrow’s City — Door” by Xue Feng have prompted residents to stop and take photos as they pass by art pieces at street corners and along the waterfront.

One visitor, identified only by her family name Li, said, “Whether at a street corner or while walking by the sea, you can encounter artworks anytime. It’s both romantic and fun.”