Shanghai's art world grapples with prolonged lockdowns and uncertainty

Shanghai's art scene, once a vibrant hub, has been severely disrupted by COVID-19 lockdowns since March 2022. The initial four-day mini lockdown extended into over 50 days of total isolation, paralyzing galleries, museums, and art fairs. Enrico Polato of Capsule Shanghai reported that the February exhibition of Kong Lingnan was cut short after ten days, and Douglas Rieger's April show was postponed indefinitely with works stuck in customs. The gallery managed to present Yan Xinyue at Frieze NY by having the artist paint in the US, and scrambled to ship works to Art Basel Hong Kong and Liste Basel amid transport bans. Cheng Xixing of Don Gallery noted that her space faces a field hospital at West Bund Art Center, blocking access to storage. Artist Cao Zaifei resorted to painting on cutting boards and pots after running out of canvas. Mathieu Borysevicz of BANK gallery, stranded in New York, described a 'dystopia and paranoia' among staff and clients, with sales plummeting. Collector Qiao Zhibing, founder of Qiao Space and Tank Shanghai, left Shanghai just before lockdown and has been documenting his travels through Europe and America on WeChat, noting the absence of Chinese visitors at major events like the Venice Biennale. The lockdowns have forced the Chinese art world to explore new modes of creation and sales, but uncertainty remains high as restrictions ease unevenly.