Zhou Tiehai on West Bund Art & Design, Shanghai's Art Market Evolution, and China's Collecting Landscape
Zhou Tiehai, a conceptual artist celebrated for his airbrush works that depict 'Joe Camel' alongside portraits by renowned artists such as Da Vinci, Goya, Ingres, Koons, Prince, and Cattelan, has taken on multiple roles within the art community. His 1996 video, Will/We Must, delved into the power dynamics present in the art sphere. Between 2009 and 2012, he served as the executive director of the Minsheng Art Museum in Shanghai. In 2014, he established the West Bund Art & Design fair in a repurposed aircraft facility. As of November 2016, the fair has reached its third edition, showcasing approximately 30 galleries and a curated segment named Xiàn Chǎng. Zhou also provides guidance to collectors navigating the contemporary art scene amid state censorship.
Key facts
- Zhou Tiehai founded West Bund Art & Design in 2014 in Shanghai.
- The fair is housed in a former aircraft manufacturing plant with a 20-meter-high rooftop.
- Zhou's airbrush series features 'Joe Camel' replacing heads in portraits by historical and contemporary artists.
- He served as executive director of Minsheng Art Museum from 2009 to 2012.
- West Bund Art & Design limits participating galleries to around 30 and includes a curated Xiàn Chǎng section.
- The fair coincides with the 11th Shanghai Biennale and the first Shanghai Project in November 2016.
- China imposes a 23% tariff on artwork imports, comprising 17% VAT and 6% customs duty.
- Shanghai's art market has grown over 20 years, with private museums like Long Museum West Bund and Yuz Museum opening in 2014.
Entities
Artists
- Zhou Tiehai
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Francisco Goya
- Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres
- Jeff Koons
- Richard Prince
- Maurizio Cattelan
- Raqs Media Collective
- Hans Ulrich Obrist
- Yongwoo Lee
- Liu Yiqian
- Wang Wei
Institutions
- Minsheng Art Museum
- West Bund Art & Design
- ArtReview Asia
- Pompidou Centre
- Whitney Museum
- 48th Venice Biennale
- 5th Gwangju Biennale
- 6th Gwangju Biennale
- Art Basel
- ShanghART Gallery
- West Bund Group
- Long Museum West Bund
- Yuz Museum
- SH Contemporary
- ART021
- 11th Shanghai Biennale
- Shanghai Project
Locations
- Shanghai
- China
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Venice
- Italy
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Seoul
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Taipei
- Taiwan
- Beijing
- Huangpu River
- West Bund
- Longhua Airport