Digital Cultural Strategies in China and Japan During the Pandemic
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, cultural organizations in both China and Japan turned to digital solutions. In China, more than 50% of museums established WeChat accounts. The Power Station of Art in Shanghai encouraged artists to present original pieces, while the Guangdong Museum provided options for ticket purchases and virtual tours. A nationwide Online Museum Exhibition Platform was also introduced. Art Basel Hong Kong canceled its physical event in March 2020, opting for online viewing rooms instead. The UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing launched Sonic Cure on Kuaishou, attracting over 4 million viewers. M WOODS created exhibitions in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, setting a trend. Meanwhile, independent cinemas in Japan faced challenges, and the Japan Web Fest was launched in 2021.
Key facts
- Over half of Chinese museums opened official WeChat accounts during the pandemic.
- Power Station of Art in Shanghai invited artists and musicians to share original content via WeChat.
- Guangdong Museum in Canton enabled ticket purchases and 360-degree virtual tours through WeChat.
- China launched the Online Museum Exhibition Platform, an interactive map of exhibitions with high-resolution catalogs.
- Art Basel Hong Kong was the first major fair to cancel its physical edition in March 2020.
- Art Basel Hong Kong introduced online viewing rooms with transparent pricing from March 20-25, 2020.
- UCCA Beijing launched Sonic Cure, streaming concerts on Kuaishou with over 4 million views.
- M WOODS in Beijing recreated past exhibitions in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, followed by the J. Paul Getty Museum, MET Museum, and Japanese museums.
- The Japan Web Fest held its first edition in 2021 on a dedicated virtual island.
- Moonlight Mobile Theatre designed a circular stage with isolated cubicles for safe in-person performances.
Entities
Artists
- David Hockney
- Andy Warhol
- Nicolas Party
- Lu Yang
- Marina Abramović
- Shing Yin Khor
Institutions
- Power Station of Art
- Guangdong Museum
- UCCA Center for Contemporary Art
- M WOODS
- J. Paul Getty Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Art Basel Hong Kong
- Japan Web Fest
- Moonlight Mobile Theatre
- IULM University
- Artribune
- Kuaishou
- Nintendo Switch
- Digital Museum Lab
Locations
- China
- Japan
- Shanghai
- Canton
- Beijing
- Hong Kong