Wallace Chan's Monumental Titanium Vessels at Long Museum, Shanghai

The Long Museum in Shanghai's West Bund is hosting the second chapter of Wallace Chan's exhibition "Vessels of Other Worlds," which debuted in Venice during the 2026 Biennale. The Shanghai iteration features colossal titanium sculptures, some reaching 10 meters, assembled from thousands of interlocking components held together by over 20,000 screws. The works, which include semi-abstract visages and outsized human figures, are accompanied by a score by Brian Eno. Chan draws on diverse art-historical references, from Giacometti to Richard Serra, and cites Bosch's "The Garden of Earthly Delights" as an influence. The sculptures are colored with Olea Sancta, consecrated oils used in Catholic rituals, and three works trace birth, growth, and rebirth as "a score for a human life." Chan, who began carving in 1973 at age 16, turned to Western forms after his grandfather's burial in a Christian cemetery. He chose titanium for its strength and permanence, aiming to create works that outlive him. The exhibition contrasts with the Venice presentation, where the works occupied historic spaces; in Shanghai's vast concrete hall, the sculptures must build their own atmosphere.