“Discovering Contemporary” and the Collectors Development Program launch

ShContemporary, the place where eastern and western visions of contemporary art collide in the beautiful Shanghai Exhibition Center, will launch its third edition on September 9, 2009.

Established as Asia’s most dynamic and international contemporary art fair, the 2008 edition attracted over 140 prestigious international galleries from nearly 30 countries.

This year, ShContemporary returns with a new artistic direction and initiatives to engage with emerging collectors from the region. A unique curatorial team consisting of Wang Jianwei, Mami Kataoka, and Anton Vidokle is working with Fair Director Colin Chinnery to give ShContemporary09 an experimental and daring artistic vision.

A new artistic direction – experimental ideas – focusing on Asia but encompassing the entire world.

An innovative exhibition format from the newest and most dynamic international art market.

ShContemporary09 is organised around three major areas:

• Best of Galleries, ShContemporary’s unique selection of invited top Asian and International galleries;

• PLATFORM, ShContemporary’s new section focused on emerging artists and on art work produced in the last two years;

• DISCOVERIES - This year’s theme: Discovering Contemporary - The Exhibition - A special curated exhibition - in a spectacular 2,000 square metre, 30 metre high arched hall; curated by Mami Kataoka, Anton Vidokle, and Wang Jianwei - to showcase works by some of the most significant artists who emerged from Asia during the past two decades as well as some of the most promising emerging artists.

ShContemporary revealed talent: Artists that exhibited in last editions have been chosen to represent their countries at the Biennale Arte 2009 in Venice.

Special focus on the Australian, Chinese and Italian pavilions with artworks by, among others, Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro, Qiu Zhijie, Zeng Hao, Matteo Basilé. Many others, to address the urgent questions being currently discussed throughout the centres of international art world of how shifts in the global economic landscape are transforming the patterns of buying and selling art.

Mami Kataoka is Senior Curator at the Mori Art Museum and International Curator at the Hayward Gallery. She is currently the curator of a major solo show of Ai Weiwei at the Mori Art Museum.

Anton Vidokle is a writer, artist, and curator, founder of e-flux, co-curator of Manifesta 6 and creator of the Unitednationsplaza in Berlin.

Wang Jianwei, first Chinese artist to show at Documenta, is one of the most versatile and consistently experimental artists in China. Last year he received the prestigious Foundation for Contemporary Arts grant.

The Collectors Night on September 9th and the launch of the brand new Asia pacific Asia Development Programme to create Asia’s best art world party and the best environment for new opportunities – for collectors, for galleries, for artists.

The art world will come together at ShContemporary for the best art market experience in Asia.

On the evening of September 9th, collectors will have the first-hand opportunity to view the displayed works and procure the pieces of utmost interest in the unique context of the beautiful Shanghai Exhibition Centre.

And on September 10th they will have the opportunity to join the official launch of ShContemporary’s newly announced Asia Pacific Collectors’ Development Program: a comprehensive, long term programme designed to link institutional partnerships with one common aim – to actively engage and nurture China’s huge market of new collectors for contemporary art.

Preview: Wednesday, September 9th, 5 to 7 p.m.

Vernissage: Wednesday, September 9th, 7 to 10 p.m.

VIP days: Thursday 10th & Friday 11th September, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Public days: Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th September, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Shanghai: the most exciting contemporary art destination in early fall 2009 Shanghai’s art community is already at work to make sure the entire city offers the most exciting contemporary art week, from September 9th to 13th.

Taking place in the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, the Shanghai eArts Festival is a major exhibition that focuses on electronic and new media art; the largest group show of 2009 in China, "Bourgeoisified Proletariate", will consist of newly commissioned work by some of the biggest names in Chinese contemporary art; Liang Shaoji’s solo show at the Zendai MoMA will feature large scale and poetic installation by a recently ‘rediscovered’ master; not to mention the cocktail receptions and parties every day to make Shanghai the art destination in September 2009.

ShContemporary takes place in the magnificent Shanghai Exhibition Center. Built as a showcase palace to celebrate Sino-Soviet relations in the 1950s, it serves as a stunning and unforgettable backdrop for contemporary art that cannot be missed.

Contacts:

info@shcontemporary.info

www.shcontemporary.info