Wallace Chan's dual exhibition Vessels of Other Worlds to bridge Shanghai and Venice in 2026

Wallace Chan (born 1956, Fuzhou) is preparing a monumental dual exhibition titled Vessels of Other Worlds, set for 2026 at the Long Museum in Shanghai and the Chiesa di Santa Maria della Pietà in Venice during the Venice Biennale. The Shanghai show will be the largest solo exhibition of his career, featuring titanium sculptures up to 10 meters tall produced in his Zhuhai studio with a team of about 40 collaborators. The Venice component will display smaller versions of the same works, effectively creating a single exhibition across two venues. The sculptures reinterpret olea sancta—consecrated oils used in Catholic rites of baptism, confirmation, and anointing of the sick—symbolizing birth, growth, and death. Chan describes his practice as a spiritual and meditative process, connecting with the universe through Zen-like states. He views jewelry as a form of sculpture, having started by carving gemstones with inclusions, and now applies that precision to large-scale works. Chan also wears AI-powered augmented reality glasses and discusses blockchain as a philosophical tool for decentralizing the self. The exhibition aims to link two distant cities and times, offering spiritual nourishment to Shanghai's audience.