Shanghai Museum East – the new venue of the Shanghai Museum – is opening around the end of 2023. To invigorate its public spaces and further develop the Museum’s identity, we are launching the Shanghai Museum East Public Art Competition, a global call for public artworks. The Competition seeks original designs that engage with the external and internal spaces of Shanghai Museum East and relate to its surroundings. We welcome proposals that reflect the Museum’s history, vision and the city’s commitment to the public.

The Academic Committee consisting of eminent practitioners and academics of public art will select qualified proposals that deliver the Museum’s and the city’s values, during which the members are committed to ensuring fairness and transparency based on professional criteria. The public will also be involved in the selection process through online voting.

The Competition is hosted by the Shanghai Museum and organized by Shanghai Public Art Coordination Centre (PACC). The official call with detailed information will be announced soon via international channels and the event website. There will also be a series of online and on-site briefing sessions. Artists can contact SH2023MU@vip.163.com or sh2023mu@vip.163.com for more information.

About the Competition

The Shanghai Museum East Public Art Competition encourages talented artists around the globe to create unique, site-specific works of public art for our new building that impress, deliver, and inspire.

Under the theme “Dialogue with the Museum”, we are looking for proposals that investigate:

a)  how the spaces of Shanghai Museum East interact with the communities;

b)  how new technologies and atmosphere impact visitors’ engagement with museums;

c)  what kind of museum spaces the urban communities need;

d)  what motivates citizensto walk into museum spaces, and what it tells about visitors’ needs and aesthetic cultivation.

Responding to these topics, the Competition embodies a series of new visions of the Shanghai Museum on museum spaces, engagement with communities, and urban art practices. The display of public artworks aims to promote the symbiosis between people and museum spaces, fusing urban aesthetics and technology, to embellish Shanghai Museum East as a new cultural landmark in Shanghai. With more connections emerging, the synergy that public art brings to the Museum is expected to keep growing in the future.

Organizations

Host: Shanghai Museum

Organizer: Shanghai Public Art Coordination Centre (PACC)

1.  Organizing Committee

Directors: Chu Xiaobo, Tang Shifen

Deputy Directors: Zhu Cheng, Li Feng, Chen Jie, Jin Jiangbo

Members: Shi Yuan, Yuan Qiming, Ge Liang, Zhang Chenglong

Secretary General: Shi Yuan

Secretariat: Zhang Chenglong, Xu Zecheng

2.   Academic Committee

Chairman:

Xu Jiang, Vice Chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Vice Chairman of China Artists Association, former President of China Academy of Art, artist, scholar, art educator.

Vice Chairs:

Wang Dawei, Vice Chairman of the Institution for Public Art (IPA), Director of the International Public Art Institute of Shanghai University, one of the Leading Talents of Shanghai.

Pan Lusheng, Vice Chairman of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Chairman of China Folk Literature and Art Association, President of Shandong Institute of Arts and Crafts, art educator.

Lewis Biggs (UK), curator, Chairman of the Institution for Public Art (IPA), former Director of Tate Britain.

Members: (in alphabetical order by surname)

Fang Xiaofeng, Deputy Director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University, Editor-in-Chief of Zhuangshi magazine, Deputy Director of the Professional Committee on Environmental Art of the Architectural Society of China.

Ferdinand Ullrich (Germany), independent curator, Professor of the Münster Academy of Arts, Germany.

Hang Jian, Professor of China Academy of Art, designhistorian.

He Xiaoqing, Director of Shanghai Film Academy of Shanghai University, Deputy Director of Design Committee of China Interior Decoration Association, Deputy Director of the Film and Television Industry and Management Professional Committee of Chinese Collegial Association for Visual Art.

Jin Jiangbo, Executive Director of Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts, Shanghai University, Vice Chairman of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, artist.

Jiao Xingtao, Deputy Director of Sichuan Academy of Fine Arts, Vice Chairman of China Sculpture Institute, artist.

Lu Xiaobo, Vice Chairman of China Artists Association, former Director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Tsinghua University, Senior Professor of Tsinghua University.

Lou Yongqi, Vice President of Tongji University, Vice Chairman of China Industrial Design Association, Academician of Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

Lyu Pinchang, Vice President of Jingdezhen Ceramic University, Vice Chairman of China Urban Sculpture Association, sculptor.

Lyu Pinjing, Vice President of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, Director of the Architectural Committee of the China Artists Association, Director of the Architectural Society of China.

Li Lei, Vice Chairman of Shanghai Artists Association, Director of Shanghai Haipai Art Museum, Deputy Director of Art Museum Professional Committee of China Association of Museums, artist.

Ling Lizhong, expert representative of the Host, Head of the Painting and Calligraphy Department of Shanghai Museum.

Shi Yuan, expert representative of the Host, Head of the Department of Arts and Crafts of Shanghai Museum.

Su Dan, Deputy Director of China National Arts and Crafts Museum and China Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum, Director of Environmental Art Committee of the China Artists Association, curator.

Wei Shaonong, Director of School of Design of East China Normal University, Deputy Chief Planner of Shanghai Creative Industry Center, Deputy Director of Shanghai Design Center.

Xu Mingsong, Vice Chairman of Shanghai Art Photography Association, Executive Director of Shanghai Creative Design Workers Association, art critic.

Yu Li, Senior Exhibition Economist and Designer, Art Director of world tour exhibitions of Bureau International des Expositions, Exhibition Expert Evaluator of Central Government Procurement Center of China.

Project Details

1.  About Shanghai Museum East

Shanghai Museum East is located at the intersection of Century Avenue and South Yanggao Rd. in Pudong New District, neighbouring Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. The openings and areas around the building are thoughtfully designed to echo the surroundings in different directions. The entire site is not only a picturesque cultural landmark of Shanghai, but also a public space with distinctive features and a stage for infinite artistic possibilities.

Rendering of Shanghai Museum East

2.  Scope of Work

The areas for public artworks at Shanghai Museum East include outdoor squares, the atrium, hallways, and gallery-related spaces. Artists are encouraged to unfold creativity and talents to uplift the commissioned spaces and the building as a whole, withsite-specific works that celebrate inclusiveness, openness, diversity, and humanity.

3.  Selection Criteria

We want the artworks to be:

a)  Thematical – Aligned with the major theme of “Dialogue with the Museum”, which accentuates connection with the spaces and delivery of the people-centric values of the Museum and the city. We seek ideas that blend artistic expression with the Museum’s characteristics and encapsulate the old and the new of the urban culture of Shanghai.

b)   Inviting – Able to catch visitors’ eyes and encourage spontaneous interaction as a part of the museum experience.

c)   Innovative – Creative enough to impress. Originality is prioritized.

d)   Sustainable – Environment-friendly, adaptable, and feasible in application and maintenance.

e)   Safe – No security risk for visitors or the venue.

4.  Artwork Locations

a)  North square

Preferred type: Extra-large scaled (sculpture/installation)

Theme: An iconic landmark with symbolic significance, reflecting the inclusiveness and diversity of the city’s spirit and the core values of the Shanghai Museum.

Style:

Tobe related to its surroundings, resonating with the water features next to it in structure and meaning.

The height exceeds or is equivalent to the museum building with an appropriate volume.

To give harmonious vibes and have excellent presentationsboth day and night.

Impressive, balanced, and rich in expressions.

Rendering of the north square

b)  South square

Preferred type: Medium-scaled (sculpture/installation)

Theme: A symbolic landscape based on the Shanghai Museum logo.

Style: To echo the southfacadeof the building and encourage visitors to interact.

c)  Below the skylight of the atrium

Preferred type: Large-scaled (hanging installation)

Theme: Highlighting the essence of Shanghai-style culture that celebrates inclusiveness, diversity, and innovation.

Style: To express the concept of continuity and consistency by presenting flows of natural elements and attributes via dynamic installation.

Rendering of the atrium

d)  Exterior wall of the Chinese Sculpture Gallery on 1F

Preferred type: Relief mural/wall art

Theme: In line with the gallery and the aesthetics of traditional Chinese sculpture.

Style: Elegant and refined, to create a tranquil and warm atmosphere in the space.

e)  Museum café on 1F

Preferred type: Medium-scaled (light-weighted hanging installation)

Theme: Relaxing, delightful, and fancy vibes.

Style: Impressive and rich in expressions.

f)  Lawn outside the curved window wall on 2F

Preferred type: Garden sculpture

Theme: A contemporary landscape with Chinese aesthetics.

Style: In line with the style of the surrounding galleries of Chinese paintings and calligraphy, to create a refreshing, elegant, calm, and warm atmosphere.

Rendering of the window wall on 2F

g)  Entrance to the Shanghai Painting and Calligraphy Gallery on 2F

Preferred type: Medium-scaled (light-weighted hanging installation)

Theme: Consistent with the gallery, highlighting the essence of arts in Shanghai. Li Sheng’s Seeing Off a Friend by the Dian Lake can be an inspiration.

Style: Dainty, adaptable to the space.

Seeing Off a Friend by the Dian Lake, Li Sheng, Yuan dynasty, 1346, Shanghai Museum

h)  Exterior walls of the Digital Gallery on 3F

Preferred type: Medium-scaled (sculpture/installation)

Theme: Consistent with the gallery.

Style: To reflect the impact of digital art on museums,highlighting the interaction between digital art and the Museum’s collection

i)  Museum café by the ceramics galleries on 3F

Preferred type: Coloured wall art/mural/sculpture/light-weighted hanging installation

Theme: Consistent with the galleries and the aesthetics of Chinese ceramics

Style: To create a refreshing and classy atmosphere.

Rendering of the café on 3F

Video

Submission & Selection

1.  Timeline

2.  Entry Submission

a)  Eligibility: Open to international individual artists and artist teams.

b)  Proposal description: Bilingual, no less than 250 words in English and 400 characters in Chinese.

c)  Documentation: The artist should present the proposal in a complete, accurate, and professional way. The content of submitted documents may vary by category, including but not limited to the theme, concept, approaches, plans, demo videos, renderings, and orthographic drawings.

d)  Maquettes: The scale of maquettes is suggested to be within 1.5–3 meters. The material should be durable and the same as the proposed artwork to give a clear impression of how the final work would appear.

e)  Proposal format:

Presentation board 1200mm x 2000mm

Resolution: 300dpi minimum

Colour: CMYK

Image format: JPG/PNG/TIF (file size below 20MB)

File name: Artist/institution name + artwork title + artwork category

f)  Demo video:

Format: AVI/MOV/WMV

Resolution: 1080p minimum

Length: 5 minutes maximum for individual artists and 10 minutes maximum for teams

g)  Proposal presentation:

Format: PPT + PDF files

For more information, please visit sh2023mu.mq1234.com