Deco reimagined the aesthetic soul of modern Shanghai

The "Modern Story – Art Deco in Modern Shanghai" exhibition recently opens on the 5th floor of Shanghai Library East Branch.

Focusing on the development and innovation of Art Deco in the city, the show is divided into five sections and features over 100 rare pieces – including old photographs, design albums, periodicals, posters, furniture and fashion pieces – to reveal how Art Deco became deeply embedded in Shanghai's urban and cultural DNA.

Starting with documentary materials, the exhibition traces the arrival and spread of Art Deco in China, and designers' innovative approaches to theory and practice, and highlights the city's creative reinterpretation of the style through graphic design, architecture and lifestyle aesthetics.

A series of talks and events with scholars and experts in architecture, jewelry and design will accompany the exhibition.

Opening date: June 10, 2025

Venue: Shanghai Library East

上海图书馆东馆

Address: 5/F, 300 Hehuan Rd

合欢路300号5楼

What is art deco?

Emerging in the 1920s and reaching its peak in the 1930s, Art Deco had a profound impact on nearly every visual art form – from graphic and architectural design to fashion, photography and interiors. Far from a single, uniform style, Art Deco drew inspiration from a wide array of movements and cultures, including Art Nouveau, Cubism, Futurism and Bauhaus, as well as non-Western artistic traditions.

Exhibition highlights

1. The Lishui Bathhouse | 丽水浴室

One special feature of the exhibition is the Lishui Bathhouse section, presented in collaboration with Shanghai Daily and its Qiao Shanghai studio.

Built in 1936 just outside Xiaonanmen, the Lishui Bathhouse is a rare surviving example of Shanghai's Art Deco architecture. Following the release of a Qiao Shanghai video about the building in September 2024, public interest surged. This exhibition recreates the bathhouse through present-day photos and historical records, exploring its intricate Art Deco details and evoking memories of longtang (alleyway) life in old Shanghai.

2. Expo Nexus | 世博链接

The exhibition also connects with the "Expo Nexus" a digital project from the World Expo Museum.

This interactive display, currently featured at Expo 2025 Osaka, maps the evolution of World Expos from 1851 to the present. It highlights the close ties formed through World Expos in global cultural and technological exchanges, and the interplay between different editions, offering an immersive journey through global culture and design.

Let's explore the distinctive features of each exhibition area.

Section 1

This section explores the early arrival of Art Deco and the influence of Chinese artists who studied in France.

Pioneering figures such as Xu Beihong, Lin Fengmian, Pang Xunqin and Liu Jipiao absorbed the latest international movements in Paris and brought those ideas back to China, planting the seeds of modern aesthetics in Shanghai.

Section 2

Returning artists and local innovators blended Expressionism, Constructivism, Futurism and Deco into a distinct Chinese visual language. In this environment, Art Deco took root in both art education and practice, and the concept of "pattern" emerged as a key mode of expression. This era saw a fusion of Eastern and Western, traditional and modern influences, giving rise to uniquely Chinese works with strong national identity.

Section 3

Focusing on the golden age of publishing and advertising, this section highlights how Art Deco-inspired design reshaped Shanghai's urban visual culture and sparked new waves of creativity among designers. Artistically designed typefaces – often seen in advertisements, book covers, and more – emerged as a unique art form, appearing everywhere from magazine layouts to street signs and weaving modern aesthetics into everyday life.

Section 4

This section presents a rich collection of early professional architectural journals, historical photographs, and contemporary architectural photography.

From the Sassoon House built by Palmer & Turner Architects and Surverors – known internationally as the Palmer & Turner Group – and the Grand Theatre designed by László Hudec, to local masterpieces such as the Metropol Cinema by The Allied Architects and the Bank of China building by Lu Qianshou, Shanghai's skyline reflects the full evolution of Art Deco architecture.

Section 5

This final section immerses visitors in the world of Art Deco as it was lived – through fashion, home décor and lifestyle objects. From the glamorous women on calendar posters to qipao (a kind of traditional Chinese one-piece dress), modern furniture, and household goods, the display reflects how Deco aesthetics became part of everyday life in Shanghai.