Shanghai’s art scene is thriving, with up-and-coming artists showcasing their work right alongside more established ones. In a city as cosmopolitan as this one, you’d expect Shanghai to push the envelope and be on the cutting edge of modern art. This is certainly the case but, luckily, the city hasn’t forgotten its roots. There are also plenty of opportunities to check out the ancient art that made China such a cultural leader when the rest of the world’s culture was still in its infancy. Below are Shanghai’s must-see art galleries and museums. Whether you’re looking to purchase a piece, or just spend a leisurely afternoon exploring the art world, these places will certainly give you food for thought.

M 50 Shanghai, photo: z.abang.com

Galleries

Perhaps the best place for one-stop shopping (or looking) is M50 on Moganshan Lu. A complex of old warehouses, M50 has become the main art district in Shanghai. You’ll know you’re there by the dozens of feet worth of (very well done) graffiti on the stone walls leading up to the complex, which just scream “artists live here!” You could spend hours here, just wandering through the warehouses and looking at the vast array of artwork which ranges from classic watercolors to sculpture to abstract painting.

M50 View In Map
Add: 50 Moganshan Lu, Putuo District, Shanghai 上海普陀区莫干山路50号
Tel: 021 6359 3923
Website: www.m50.com.cn

While some of the warehouses within this complex are hit-or-miss, there are a few that you simply must see for yourself. These include the ShanghArt Gallery (香格纳 画廊) and the Art Scene Warehouse (艺术景仓库). The ShanghArt Gallery was one of the earliest, and most famous, galleries devoted to contemporary art in Shanghai. The art here is for sale, but is definitely not for the shallow pocketed. Artists who have pieces displayed here are some of the most established painters and sculptors in the city. Similarly, the Art Scene Warehouse also houses some big-name Chinese artists, along with many up-and-comers. Opened in 2002, this is the perfect place to view the wildly varying styles of art that have cropped up in recent years. If you’re an artist yourself, you may also be interested in their emerging Chinese artists’ competition.

In response to the often mystifying (some might say downright odd) trends in contemporary art, Art Scene Classic (2/F Bldg 4B, 50 Moganshan Lu), located at the back of the Art Scene Warehouse) offers stylish, tasteful pieces that could fit into an average home a little more easily than, say, that sculpture of a flaming head. Specializing in elegant Chinese art, these contemporary pieces manage to look classy without veering into outdated or fussy territory.

With warehouses seemingly the new trend in showcasing art, the Shanghai Gallery of Art follows suit by presenting “brand name artists” in a trendy warehouse setting. As you would expect from a Bund location, the shows are always sleek, stylish, and a tad pretentious. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the price tags attached to the artwork.

Shanghai Gallery of Art 沪申画廊View In Map
Add: 3/F, Three on the Bund, 17 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dongyilu, Shanghai
上海广东路17号，外滩三号3楼， 近中山东一路

Aiming to increase “the awareness of the general public towards contemporary and avant-garde art”, Oriental Vista Gallery showcases rotating exhibits of some of the more cutting edge artists of our time. This relatively new gallery (it opened in 2006) focuses on helping bridge the gap between artists and art collectors/enthusiasts. Their exhibits are always thought provoking and members of staff are always ready to answer any questions you might have (and there will probably be quite a few!) about what you’re viewing.

Oriental Vista Gallery (OV画廊)View In Map
Add: Unit 3, 19 Shaoxing Lu, near Shaanxi Nanlu, Shanghai
上海绍兴路19号丙近陕西南路
Tel: 021 5465 7768
Website: www.ovgallery.com

Museums

Perhaps the most famous art museum in the city, the Shanghai Art Museum keeps things exciting by featuring rotating exhibits by well known Chinese and foreign artists. While some of the visiting exhibits can be a bit ho-hum, keep your eyes peeled for those little gems that often pop up, like the Salvador Dalí exhibit which came to town a few months ago. And be sure to check out the museum’s in-house collection of contemporary Chinese art while you’re there.

If modern art is more your thing, check out Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Art or MoCA. Just a short walk from the Shanghai Museum of Art, this two-story glass building is the perfect place to house some of Shanghai’s most modern musings. It’s a great contrast to some of the more old fashioned pieces that the Shanghai Museum of Art tends to house – a visit to both would provide quite a complementary art experience.

Shanghai’s Museum of Contemporary Art 上海当代艺术馆View In Map
Add: 231 Nanjing Xilu, inside People’s Park, Shanghai
上海南京西路231号人民公园
Tel: 021 6327 1282
Website: www.mocashanghai.org

As long as you don’t mind traveling to the outskirts of Shanghai, the Duolun Museum is a great find. Focused on contemporary and avant-garde art, this museum features both Chinese and foreign artists. Its European style building and surroundings (the street is actually cobble stoned!) provide a sophisticated backdrop, along with an interesting contrast, to the new age artwork that you’ll be viewing.

Duolun Museum 多伦现代美术馆View In Map
Add: 27 Duolun Lu, near Sichuan Beilu, Shanghai
上海多伦路27号近四川北路
Tel: 021 6587 2530
website: www.duolunart.org

While you’re visiting the Duolun Museum, stroll a bit further down the street until you get to Osage Shanghai. Established in Hong Kong in 2004, this gallery has expanded to Beijing, Singapore, and, of course, Shanghai. Osage Shanghai promotes its artwork based on four themes: ideas, communication, understanding, and engagement. These lofty goals result works whicj will stay with you for a long time.

Osage ShanghaiView In Map
Add: 93 Duolun Lu, near Sichuan Beilu, Shanghai
上海多伦路93号近四川北路
Tel: 021 5671 3605

The Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art) is an art museum for all those Pudong residents out there. Focusing on new media (i.e. not your typical painting, drawing, and sculpting), this museum is a massive venue that often holds exhibitions of non-Chinese artists.

Shanghai Zendai Museum of Modern Art 上海证大艺术馆View In Map
Add: Zendai Thumb Plaza, Building 28, 199 Fangdian Lu, Pudong New District,
Shanghai 上海市浦东新区芳甸路199弄28号
Tel: 021 5033 9801
Website: www.zendaiart.com

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