Surreal art, music, award-winning drama
August is knocking on the door and, as usual, the guide team has prepared a wonderful events list to help you cool down in the summer heat. It includes some thought-provoking exhibitions, amazing musical performances and award-winning drama. Joan Zheng and Carol Chen guide.
Artist ‘Zigzagging My Way Home’ in latest exhibition
★ Highlight: Chinese-Swiss artist Franklin Chow’s first solo exhibit in China
A solo exhibition, entitled “Zigzagging My Way Home,” by Chinese-swiss artist Franklin Chow will be open next month.
Nearly 40 pieces of his installations, drawings, visual artworks and wash painting diaries will be displayed to Chinese viewers for the first time.
The artist promises to take local art enthusiasts on an authentic art journey by discussing his hometown, identity, roots and other social topics this time.
Date: Through October 17
Venue: Power Station of Art
Address: 200 Huayuangang Rd
Cultural East meets West in art exhibition
★ Highlights: A conversation through time and space
A surprisingly harmonic art exhibition cooperated by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle and Chinese artist Shen Yuan will be displayed at the power station of Art and runs through October.
The two artists grew up in different cultural backgrounds and times, but share a similar pursuit of art and express their feelings in the same way.
The exhibition will reveal how they used the same expression, such as body language, to communicate their ideas.
While the Western artist used a lot of sculptures to create her world, the Eastern artist chose to create something more at home with her cultural background, such as embroidery. Their works will reveal the diversity and containment that culture and art can achieve.
Date: Through October 14
Venue: Power Station of Art
Address: 200 Huayuangang Rd
Getting surreal with Salvador
★ Highlights: A show of 1,000 faces of Dali
A retrospective exhibition of Salvador Dali, one of the world’s most renowned painters, is running at shanghai Exhibition Center through next month.
The Spanish painter was arguably the most talented artist of the 20th century and a leading figure in the surrealism movement.
In his most famous painting, “the persistence of Memory,” Dali turned dreams from a subjective feeling into an objective image.
While most people only know him as a painter, Dali had many talents and brought his ideas into several different genres and fields.
This exhibition will show Dali’s works in photography, sculpture, movie, design and even artcrafts.
Date: Through August 31
Venue: Shanghai Exhibition Center
Address: 1000 Yan’an Rd M.
Cirque Du Soleil takes Avatar flight
★ Highlights: Interactive performance with high-spec, cutting-edge technology
Canadian troupe Cirque du soleil brings a brand-new performance to shanghai next month
— a prequel of “Avatar.”
Cirque Du Soleil has always pushed the boundaries in traditional acrobatic performances, using cutting-edge visual technology along the way.
In the troupe’s 2018 tour, with the help of the “Avatar” director, James Cameron, they add high-tech projection, professional costumes and interactive props to the performance, taking the audience into a vivid “Avatar” world.
Date: August 16–August 26
Venue: Mercedes-Benz Arena
Address: 1200 Shibo Ave
Renowned ‘Silent Hill’ composer kicks off first tour of China
★ Highlights: Japanese composer Akira Yamaoka and his amazing world of music
Renowned Japanese composer Akira yamaoka kicks off his first tour of China at Modernsky lab on August 11.
Yamaoka has become one of Japan’s most popular musicians. The 50-year-old has been lauded for the variety of music he has composed in the video game industry.
He is also a sound designer, guitarist and most famous for composing various games in the “silent Hill” series by Konami. Yamaoka also worked as a producer on the series, as well as serving as a composer and producer on the “Silent Hill” movie. Don’t miss the chance to relive the memory in the games.
Date: August 11
Venue: Modernsky Lab Shanghai
Address: 188 Ruihong Rd
Famous Spanish choir in Shanghai
★ Highlights: Escorial’s authentic sound will be heard at Shanghai Symphony Hall
Spanish choir Escorial will present local music lovers with a medley of classic songs at shanghai symphony Hall on August 18.
Founded in 1567, Escorial is renowned for its authentic voice and outstanding music talent. Now, it has 50 members from over the world, ranging from 9 years old to 17 years old.
The choir will perform a variety of folk songs including “Edelweiss,” “Moon river” and also Chinese songs such as “The same song” for Chinese music fans.
Date: August 18
Venue: Shanghai Symphony Hall
Address: 1380 Fuxing Rd M.
Ain’t nothing going on but the Rent
★ Highlights: Pulitzer Prize and Tony Awards Broadway show
One of Broadway’s most famous, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Awards’ winning musicals is in shanghai next month.
“Rent” tells a story of several Hiv-positive individuals. It is a meaningful story that combines laughs, tears, struggles under the privileged and hopes of a brighter future.
Since its debut on Broadway in 1996, “rent” has been running for 22 years and performed over 5,000 times.Don’t miss a quite extraordinary show.
Date: August 30–September 16
Venue: Shanghai Culture Square
Address: 597 Fuxing Rd M.
German troupe bring Ibsen classic to life
★ Highlights: A recreating and timeless masterpiece
German theatrical troupe, the Schaubühne, will open the drama festival next month with the classic
play “Hedda Gabler.”
Adapted from a play by renowned Norway dramatist Henrik Ibsen, Hedda gabler has been performed for over 100 years since its Munich premiere in 1891.
Through this play, Ibsen questioned the insecurity of middle-class people. His ideas still influence society today, which makes this play a timeless masterpiece.
The Schaubühne troupe’s experimental and innovative art-form performance will make this classical play a joy for theater lovers.
Date: August 24–August 25
Venue: Great Theater of China
Address: 704 Niuzhuang Rd
