Art fair showcases 'stars of tomorrow'

An art fair for the nation’s recently graduated students will be held at the Shanghai Exhibition Center from July 11 to 14.

Boasting a big platform to introduce the “stars of tomorrow,” the four-day event will see 1,546 artworks created by 581 young artists.Established in Guangzhou seven years ago, this is a new fair approach to the country’s art market, with free entry for all participants.

“Our fair aims to build a bridge between the young artists and the ordinary urban families,” said Jiang Bing, one of the staff organizers. “Around 300,000 students graduate from the art academies in China every year. But only 1 percent of them become professional artists.

“Some switch to other areas, and others further their studies in design, cartoon and architecture.”

For many young art academy graduates, the pursuit of art as a career is an unattainable dream.

“It is impossible for them all to enter the art market, in terms of gallery, auction and art fair,” Jiang said.

“But there is an increasing number of urban families in China, which means there is great demand for affordable art to be filled on the empty walls of their apartments.”

Jiang believes it is time for art to return to its natural trait — art for art’s sake.

“In the past several decades, art has become a financial way for investment,” she said.

“However, we hope that the general public can frequent the fair and buy the kind of art that moves them.”

The fair’s business model goes to a profit sharing scheme once a deal is made at the fair, which relieves pressure on young artists who have just left their academies and are looking to make some money from their work.

The price of the artworks labelled at the fair ranges from several hundred yuan to tens of thousands of yuan, and most of them will be sold for several thousand yuan.

The fair will be divided into several sections including new ink-wash painting, abstract art, video and neo-classics.

Date: July 11-14, 10am-6pm

Venue: Shanghai Exhibition Center