Works on Display from Global Public Art Competition

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Visitors check shortlisted public art prototypes at Shanghai Museum East.

Shanghai Museum East has opened an exhibition of shortlisted works from a global public art competition, giving the public a first look at designs planned for the museum's public spaces.

The exhibition features 24 prototype works selected from more than 600 proposals. Artists came from over 40 countries and regions. The competition was launched to develop permanent public artworks for Shanghai Museum East.

The contest began in June 2023 under the theme "Dialogue with the Museum."

It targets 10 designated sites at the museum, including its north and south plazas, exterior walls, café areas, and surrounding outdoor spaces, inviting artists and teams worldwide to create public artworks that reflect new urban culture, ideas, and creativity.

Experts, members of the public, and museum staff took part in two rounds of evaluation before the final shortlist was chosen.

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: A participating artist introduces his work during the exhibition.

Tang Shifen, Party secretary of Shanghai Museum, said at the opening ceremony that the project reflects the idea of a "people's city."

She added that the works explore how public art can reshape museum spaces and strengthen ties between the museum, the city, and visitors.

Tang noted that the prototypes, though small in scale, point to long-term cultural value. She said opening the selection process to the public shows the museum's focus on openness and public participation.

Jin Jiangbo, executive dean of the Academy of Fine Arts at Shanghai University and head of the Shanghai Public Art Coordination Center, said the works reflect Shanghai's open and inclusive spirit, and the artists use different methods to respond to today's cultural and technological changes.

According to Yu Li, a member of the competition's academic committee, the works show exchanges between Eastern and Western aesthetics and between traditional skills and digital technology.