Shenzhen is trying hard to push for more art with dedicated art zones throughout the city. OCT Loft Contemporary Art Terminal is one fine example. But that’s relatively new, prior to that, not too far away also in the Overseas Chinese Town area is the He Xiangning Art Museum. I didn’t expect much, so I was very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the exhibits. Though somewhat small, the art presented was creative, mind-provoking and somewhat controversial.
Art in Asia has a short intro:
He Xiangning Art Museum is China’s second national modern art museum, after the National Art Gallery of China. He Xiangning was the widow of Liang Zhongkai, the leader of the pro-Moscow left of the Kuomintang during the 1920s. Liao was expected to become KMT leader after Sun Yat-sen’s death but he was assassinated by gangsters probably hired by Chiang Kai-shek. He Xiangning then became an important leader of the leftist wing of the KMT and after 1949 stayed on in Beijing. Her son, Liao Chengzhi was a leading Communist and head of the organization which originally controlled the area where the He Xiangning Art Gallery is located, Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) in Eastern Shenzhen. This is why the gallery was built as a memorial to her. The gallery has shifting exhibits mainly of avant garde and modern Chinese art. Some of China’s best known painters regularly exhibit there and it is definitely worth a visit. ¥20, free Friday. 10AM-5:30PM, closed Monday.
The art begins to appear as you approach museum in the public space…
And explodes as you go indoors…
A block or so behind is another arts building with even more extreme contemporary exhibits :
Take a look …
Somewhat dark and mysterious.
If you want to grab a bite or sip some coffee surrounded by art…
Then OCT Art is where you want to go. A lovely little cafe, a place that’s worth lingering in for long.
If you’re at the OCT area, definitely drop by for a visit. It’s a 5 minutes walk from the Windows of the World metro station :