PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai, the contemporary art fair for photography, announces today its gallery and exhibitor line-up, alongside programming highlights for its forthcoming ninth edition, including a collaborative showcase with PHOTOFAIRS New York.
Reaffirming its position as Asia Pacific’s leading fair dedicated to photo-based and digital artworks, the forthcoming edition of PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai welcomes 46 exhibitors, comprising local and international galleries, leading arts organizations, and esteemed cultural partners. Showcasing the work of more than 150 artists, from well-established figures to emerging talents, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai continues to be the meeting point for photography in China, convening a highly-curated selection of exhibitors from Asia Pacific and beyond.
Fan Ni, Director, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai, said: “We are delighted to return to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre next month and to provide a platform to showcase the best of contemporary photography to audiences here in China. We are very happy to welcome back our collectors, exhibitors, institutions, and visitors for this ninth edition, and to provide the wider Asia Pacific region with a dedicated space to explore and appreciate this richly varied and rapidly-evolving medium.”
GALLERY HIGHLIGHTS
Representing more than 20 cities, including Paris, Beijing, London, New York, Amsterdam, and Tokyo, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai features a curated selection of exhibitors in its Main and Platform sectors, from established photography dealers to emerging contemporary galleries presenting innovative work in the photographic medium.
Highlights from this year’s presentations include leading artists and galleries from China and the wider Asia Pacific region, such as ShanghART Gallery’s (Shanghai / Beijing / Singapore) solo showcase of 13 selected works by Singaporean artist Robert Zhao Renhui spanning various long-term projects from across his career, ahead of his forthcoming representation of Singapore at the Venice Biennale 2024; a presentation by UP Gallery (Hsinchu) of new works by American photographer Anastasia Samoylova from her ongoing project, in which the artist stages imaginary breakfast encounters with luminaries of photography that have inspired her practice; M ART CENTER’s (Shanghai) presentation of new works by Luo Dan from his recently completed No Man’s Land project, which explores our relationship with the world surrounding us; Gaotai Gallery’s (Urumqi) presentation of works by photographer Tian Lin from his series Yamalik Mountain, alongside new works by celebrated artist Xu Guanyu from his ongoing Resident Aliens project, and Ma Hailun’s latest series Kashi Youth, focusing on youth culture in China’s westernmost city; a booth of international artists from Matthew Liu Fine Arts’ (Shanghai) roster, including the likes of Candida Höfer, Valery Katsuba, Flor Garduño, and Yang Yongliang; and X Contemporary Art’s (Changsha) presentation of works by Li Weiyi and Jiang Zhi.
Elsewhere, RUIPIN Gallery (Shanghai) presents archival works by Meng Minsheng and Xu Haifeng, both documenting urban life in China in the second half of the 20th century; meanwhile C14 Gallery (Shanghai) exhibits leading photographer Mo Yi’s shots of Beijing and Tianjin in the 1980s and 1990s; HART Gallery (Hangzhou) displays new works by Lu Yanpeng and Taca Sui, whose practices examine Chinese traditional culture and how it blends in with the surrounding physical landscape; and Shun Art Gallery (Shanghai / Tokyo) presents a dual show of works by Chinese multimedia artist Maleonn and Japanese photographer Hirotaka Sato. Other leading Chinese galleries presenting at the fair include Three Shadows +3 Gallery (Beijing / Xiamen), presenting works by established artists from the region, including Koo Bohnchang and Yin Yunya; see+ Gallery (Beijing / Shenzhen / Chengdu); and A Thousand Plateaus Art Space (Chengdu).
Highlights from international galleries presenting at the fair include a solo show by leading French artist JR, known for his large-scale black-and-white photography installations, presented by Galleria Continua (San Gimignano & 7 locations), and a group presentation by ATLAS Gallery (London) of classic and contemporary photography from some of the medium’s most celebrated artists, including Hiroshi Sugimoto, Elliott Erwitt, Marc Riboud, William Klein and Terry O. Neil to name a few. Three new international galleries exhibiting for the first time at the fair are also joining this year’s line-up: Galerie Bacqueville (Lille / Vlissingen), presenting a dual show by French artists Thomas Devaux and David de Beyter; Green On Red Gallery (Dublin) presenting the works of Alan Butler and Aoife Shanahan, two Irish artists who both interrogate the boundaries of the medium through a scientific approach, the former documenting plant life through cyanotypes and the latter exposing film to bacteria to create abstractions that highlight the unseen presence of bacteria in photography; and MICK Galerie (Amsterdam), showcasing three emerging Dutch female photographers: Carlie Consemulder, Lotte Ekkel and Nanda Hagenaars.
PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS
Complementing the booth shows are special presentations by leading cultural institutions and fair partners, alongside a vibrant public and satellite program, offering an expanded view of the photographic medium.
For this year’s Insights sector, entitled Softness, four galleries from the United States are brought together by PHOTOFAIRS New York Director Helen Toomer to present innovative and multidisciplinary works united by themes of malleability and softness. Ranging from portraits focusing on the delicate forms of the human body and the tenderness of interpersonal interactions, to landscapes highlighting the gentle beauty of the fauna and flora, the exhibition evokes ‘the power of art to bring comfort and reprieve through a multi-sensory experience’. The audience is invited to reevaluate the importance of softness in helping us to make sense of the world around us. Participating exhibitors are: bitforms gallery (New York), presenting digital works by Ellie Pritts and Auriea Harvey; Chela Mitchell Gallery (Washington, D.C.), showcasing portraits by Nate Langston Palmer; Elijah Wheat Showroom (Newburgh), presenting Liz Nielsen’s light paintings, Jon Verney’s Decomposites, and Rhiannon Adam’s collages of large-scale Polaroid emulsion lifts on watercolor paper; and Fahey/Klein Gallery (Los Angeles) showcasing works by the acclaimed Australian duo Honey Long and Prue Stent, exploring the relationship between femininity and the natural world. This exhibition is the first collaboration between PHOTOFAIRS’ editions in Shanghai and New York, facilitating cultural exchange between the fairs to offer audiences an expansive, cross-border view of the photographic medium.
PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai is additionally delighted to welcome back four leading cultural organizations that have contributed to the development of photographic art in its dedicated Culture Spaces sector. The Miguel de Cervantes Library (Shanghai) presents a solo show by Spanish multimedia artist Pilar Albarracín, while the Shanghai Doland Museum of Modern Art (Shanghai) showcases their Annual Report of Chinese Contemporary Photography and Video Arts. Also joining the Culture Spaces sector are Swatch Art Peace Hotel (Shanghai), presenting an exhibition featuring several emerging photographic and video artists who have participated in their residency program, including Zhou Peng, Luo Jian, Marc Aziz Ressang, Yanir Shani, Jeppe Lange and He Yu, and the international photography museum Fotografiska, showcasing works by Swedish-based duo Cooper Gorfer, known for their cross-media collaged portraits of women.
Returning to the fair this year, the Connected sector provides a platform for globally recognized brands to showcase the impact of photography on ventures beyond art, including fashion and luxury. This year’s exhibitors include valued fair partners SIGMA, bringing together the works of legendary Japanese masters Eikoh Hosoe, Daidō Moriyama, and Miyako Ishiuchi in a showcase that reevaluates the equilibrium of time and ritual; KWEICHOW MOUTAI, presenting Water Travels a Thousand Miles, an exhibition inspired by the geographical relationship between the Huangpu River – Shanghai’s main river – and Chishui River where Moutai wine derives from, and featuring artists such as Chen Qi, Dong Wensheng, and Lu Yuanmin; Tmall Luxury and their Seed Project, dedicated to supporting young artists and the development of digital art by featuring multimedia creations from three emerging artists;
and Hahnemühle, which celebrates its 440th anniversary by debuting three new digital inkjet artist papers at the fair, alongside works from established artists Yang Yongliang, Yijun Liao, Chen Wei, Lin Zhipeng, Li Qiang and Gai Shaohua presented on more than 10 types of Hahnemühle papers. This year, the fair is also pleased to welcome Swedish furniture brand DUXIANA as the VIP Lounge sponsor. A selection of photography works will be displayed in the space, taking inspiration from architect and designer Bruno Mathsson’s 1960 ‘Sommarhus’ (Summer House).
Beyond the sector, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai also collaborates with lifestyle social media platform Xiaohongshu to enrich the photography scene in Shanghai during the fair week. A special exhibition space for Xiaohongshu’s Discovery project will be presented at the fair, spotlighting the platform’s outstanding photographers and image creators, alongside the Guide for Photography Art project, linking up with several art institutions in Shanghai to expand the impact of photography and video art, and a newly-launched Visual Portfolio project, inviting the audience to learn more about the exhibitors and their artists. The fair will also launch a limited range of co-branded products with Somma, including canvas bags and craft beers whose design is based on the main visual elements of this edition, echoing the active and open spirit of photography and expressing PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai and Somma’s shared commitment to supporting the continuous development of Shanghai’s photography ecosystem.
The fair’s public program is also accompanied by a series of talks, convening leading voices in the field to exchange on the medium’s current issues and relevant topics. A complete schedule of talks and participants will be announced in the coming weeks.
Organized by Creo and its majority shareholder Angus Montgomery Arts, the fair returns to the Shanghai Exhibition Centre April 25-28, 2024.
2024 EXHIBITORS
GALLERIES (Main / Platform / Insights)
A Thousand Plateaus Art Space (Chengdu), ATLAS Gallery (London), bitforms gallery (New York), BONIAN SPACE (Beijing), C14 Gallery (Shanghai), Chela Mitchell Gallery (Washington, D.C.), Elijah Wheat Showroom (Newburgh), Fahey/Klein Gallery (Los Angeles), Galerie Bacqueville (Lille / Vlissingen), Galleria Continua (San Gimignano / Beijing / Les Moulins / Habana / Roma / São Paulo / Paris / Dubai), Gaotai Gallery (Urumqi), Green On Red Gallery (Dublin), HART Gallery (Hangzhou), HTAN GALLERY (Xiamen), Inter Gallery (Beijing), M ART CENTER (Shanghai), Matthew Liu Fine Arts (Shanghai), MAYPARK Gallery (Chengdu), ME ART Gallery (Beijing), MICK Galerie (Amsterdam), Nine Art Gallery (Shenzhen), None Project (Shanghai), Pan-View Gallery (Zhengzhou), PHOTISM (Chengdu), RUIPIN Gallery (Shanghai), see+ Gallery (Beijing / Shenzhen / Chengdu), ShanghART Gallery (Shanghai / Beijing / Singapore), Shun Art Gallery (Shanghai / Tokyo), Three Shadows +3 Gallery (Beijing / Xiamen), UP Gallery (Hsinchu), View Contemporary Art Center (Lanzhou),
WhyWhyArt (Shanghai), X Contemporary Art (Changsha)
CULTURE SPACES
Fotografiska (Stockholm / New York / Berlin / Tallinn / Shanghai), Miguel de Cervantes Library
(Shanghai), Shanghai Doland Museum of Modern Art (Shanghai), Swatch Art Peace Hotel (Shanghai)
CONNECTED
SIGMA, Tmall Luxury, KWEICHOW MOUTAI, Hahnemühle, DUXIANA
SPECIAL PARTNERS
Cipa Gallery (Shenzhen), Jiuzhou Gallery (Beijing), Meta Media, Xiaohongshu
