Shanghai—Art021 has announced the list of participating galleries for 2015. Now in its third year, the art fair will take place on November 19–22 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center (1000 Yan’an Middle Road)—formerly known as the Sino-Soviet Friendship Centre, much admired for its Soviet historicist style of architecture and interior décor.
Founded by the PR honcho Bao Yifeng and the collector Kelly Ying (who, incidentally, is the wife of the contemporary art collector David Chau), Art021 has grown substantially since its inception. From 29 participating galleries in its first year (see our report), to 54 galleries in its second (see our report), this year Art021 will welcome 75 galleries. Since the beginning, Art021 has won kudos for a generally high level of execution and design.
In many ways, Art021 is fully on course to assume the position that SHContemporary attained at its peak—the top comprehensive art fair in Mainland China. (Of course, SHContemporary encountered multiple problems in its later years and finally stumbled with a disastrous final year in 2013; see our report). And competition among the art fairs in Shanghai will be intense, what with West Bund Art Fair (led by Zhou Tiehai) and Photo Shanghai, both taking place in September.
Art021’s list includes international galleries participating for the first time, such as Gagosian Gallery, Galerie Chantal Crousel (Paris), Taka Ishii Gallery (Tokyo) and Galerie Krinzinger (Vienna). There is a high caliber of returning international galleries—like Marian Goodman Gallery (NYC/Paris/London), Galleria Continua (San Gimignano/Beijing/Les Moulins), Galerie Perrotin (Paris/NYC/Hong Kong), PACE (NYC/Beijing), Arario Gallery (Seoul/Cheonan/Shanghai)), Hakgojae Gallery (Seoul/Shanghai), Lehmann Maupin (NYC/Hong Kong), Simon Lee Gallery (London/Hong Kong), Ota Fine Arts (Tokyo/Singapore)—along with top regional and local galleries—ShanghART (Shanghai/Beijing/Singapore), Vitamin Creative Space (Guangzhou), Long March Space (Beijing), Beijing Commune, Tang Contemporary (Beijing), Chambers Fine Art (NYC/Beijing), Tina Keng Gallery (Taipei), and Pearl Lam Galleries (Shanghai/Hong Kong/Singapore).
Of interest is Art021’s balance of established international and regional galleries along with the relatively newer galleries with strong programs—like Aike-Dell’arco, Leo Xu Projects, Antenna Space, BANK/MABSociety, all in Shanghai; Magician Space, Gallery Yang, and Star Gallery in Beijing; Edouard Malingue Gallery in Hong Kong; and A Thousand Plateaus in Chengdu. Also worth mentioning is Ink Studio (Beijing) with its focus on contemporary ink and ink-inspired art, and Ren Space (Shanghai) which features editions (and, by the way, a beautifully restored “Old Shanghai” townhouse). Of course, local Shanghai galleries are well represented, too (Don Gallery, Vanguard Gallery, MD Gallery, and MAO Space).
Also worth mentioning is Donna Chai coming in as Managing Director for Art021, who had many years of experience with SHContemporary. Additionally, Thomas Wuestenhagen, who used to be the Art Basel Head of Gallery Relations and Board Member, will join Art021’s executive committee.
