'RanRan' Launches 'City in Touch' Initiative
The 2025 "RanRan" Program, which endeavors to explore and support young Chinese contemporary artists, launched "City in Touch" in Xintiandi Dongtaili over the weekend, featuring various theatrical installations and a series of community-sharing sessions.
"RanRan," a three-year-old incubation program, was introduced by Xintiandi and UCCA, China's top institution for contemporary art, in 2022. Over three years, nearly 100 artworks have been presented in public spaces, including Xintiandi, under the program.
It has received more than 1,300 applications and provided exhibition platforms for more than 50 young Chinese artists. Through competitions, artist-in-residence programs, art seasons and crossover collaborations, it has built a contemporary art ecosystem.
"City in Touch" is set along Dongtai Road, a revitalized landmark that merges historical significance with vibrant urban life.
Audiences can engage with urban textures as they wander, fostering an emotional connection between their bodies and the streets.
The 2025 "RanRan" Program comprises three components – retrospective exhibitions, community sharing and open-air theater – creating a rich and multi-dimensional art scene at Xintiandi Dongtaili.
The retrospective exhibition focuses on "memory reconstruction," offering a comprehensive view of the symbiotic relationship between art and the city. It incorporates tangible theatrical installations and personal items from artists into the public streets.
The exhibition transforms portraits of "RanRan" artists and elements of their works into abstract, human-shaped signs scattered throughout the streets.
The display of personal items outlines the stories behind their creations through intimate narratives closely linked to "RanRan." A specially compiled newspaper for the exhibition gathers rich fragments of memory for passers-by to read.
A series of community-sharing sessions feature six distinguished speakers from disciplines such as history, architecture, science fiction and visual arts.
Yuan Keru, winner of the 2023 RanRan Fusion Innovation Award, presented a new theatrical work specifically created for Xintiandi Dongtaili. This performance combines the artist's childhood memories, research on local culture, and historical artifacts to tell multiple stories.
Through three interconnected paths, the work fosters an active space in the area that is constantly interpreted, discussed and transformed, subtly altering the trading scenes and emotional atmosphere of the neighborhood surrounding Dongtai Road's flower and bird market through audience interactions.
If you go:
Date: Through November 23
Venue: Xintiandi Dongtaili 新天地东台里
Address: 111 Ji'an Road, Huangpu District 黄浦区吉安路111号