New season yields a canvas of imagination

American painter Robert Motherwell said, “Art is much less important than life, but what a poor life without it.” Shanghai Daily readers have an abundance of art events to go to this year, including a March tribute and the grand opening of TANK Shanghai. Check below to see our best picks. 

'Tomorrow of Yesterday'

Modern Art Base is presenting the works of Stefanie Moshammer in a new photo exhibition, “Tomorrow of Yesterday,” through April 14. In November 2016 and March 2017 Moshammer visited the Haitian island Île-à-Vache and witnessed a picture postcard of waving palms, white beaches and a place of unfulfilled promises. But waste, plastic bottles and bags also littered the area surrounding the beautiful deep blue sea, bright greenery and colorful streets. In her exhibition the artist researches notions of paradise, Western ideals, yesterday’s promises and the everyday lives of the people who live there.
Date: Through April 14
Address: Modern Art Base, No. 2 Building 10 Jianguo Rd M.Modern Art Base is presenting the works of Stefanie Moshammer in a new photo exhibition, “Tomorrow of Yesterday,” through April 14. In 2016 and 2017 Moshammer visited the  Île-à-Vache Island and witnessed a picture postcard of waving palms, white beaches and a place of unfulfilled promises. But waste, plastic bottles and bags also littered the area. In her exhibition the artist researches notions of paradise, Western ideals, yesterday’s promises and the everyday lives of the people who live there.

Date: Through April 14

Address: Modern Art Base, No. 2 Bldg, 10 Jianguo Rd M.

'The World of Saha'

The comprehensive exhibition is to celebrate Chinese female artist Yu Hong. The exhibit reveals Yu’s world as a visual opera developed into four acts: “Time of Rebirth,” “Portraits,” “Half-hundred Mirrors” and “Witness to Growth.” “The World of Saha,” meaning “the world to be endured,” is a Buddhist expression of great importance to Yu. According to Indian cosmology, living beings endure all kinds of difficulties and sufferings because of their acts in previous lives. In the exhibition, Yu reconstructs personal and socio-historical memories through photography and the medium of painting.

Date: Through May 5

Address: Long Museum West Bund, 3398 Longteng Ave

'If you don't use your eyes to see, you will use them to cry'

German artist Tobias Rehberger premieres his first solo exhibition in China in late this month. The museum will be transformed into a butcher’s shop, a teahouse and a bar for the show, and it includes floral sculptures and public signboards. The purpose of the exhibit is to see how visitors interact with space and explores the relationship between art and daily life.

Date: March 23-May 26

Address: Rockbund Art Museum, 20 Huqiu Rd

‘Quayola: Asymmetric Archaeology — Gazing Machines’

The exhibit will bring together Italian artist Davide Quayola’s artworks covering digital print, video, digital sculpture and robotic installation. It reimagines the past and rediscovers nature through the perspectives of a machine. The artist uses digital technology to explore and reinterpret classical art forms.

Date: March 23-June 2

Address: HOW Art Museum, No. 1, Lane 2277, Zuchongzhi Rd

'Universe of Water Particles in the Tank'

The immersive exhibition brought about by Tokyo art group teamLab is to be held at TANK Shangha. The exhibition includes six immersive art installations, where the physical and conceptual boundaries that exist between artworks, exhibition space and viewers will be disrupted.

Date: March 23-August 24

Address: TANK Shanghai, 2380 Longteng Ave

Czech art nouveau maestro

An exhibition from Czech art nouveau maestro Alphonse Mucha will be on display at the Pearl Art Museum from March 30 to July 21. The exhibit, the first ever presentation of the Mucha Family Collection in China, features over 230 original works of art by the celebrated Czech artist. In addition to his prestigious art nouveau-style posters, decorations and jewelry, the exhibit will also include Mucha’s drawings, paintings, photographs, book designs and personal belongings. Some of them have never been shown to the public. The selections will reveal Mucha’s multifaceted nature as an artist, a Bohemian, a mystic, a patriot and a philosopher, and invites visitors to explore his expansive inner landscape.

Date: March 30-July 21

Address: Pearl Art Museum, 8F, 1588 Wuzhong Rd

'Fantasy in Daylight'

The exhibition showcases around 200 original paintings, 32 newly created freehand drawings and five animation films by Japanese artist Yoshitaka Amano, which will take comic fans on a fantasy journey this summer. Born into a lacquer art family in Shizuoka in 1952, Amano showed a talent for painting in childhood and was enrolled into the highly influential Tatsunoko Production Studio at 15. Modern Art Museum will also set up an interactive long corridor to launch exhibit-related activities.

Date: June 1-September 1

Address: Modern Art Museum, 4777 Binjiang Ave