Phase I: Launching on September 4th, 2016
Phase II: April 22nd through July 30th, 2017
Shanghai Himalayas Museum
3rd and 4th Floors, 869 Yinghua Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, China
Aaajiao is invited by Shanghai Project to participate in the exhibition as a researcher, and as one of the seven jury members for the Shanghai Project Open Call, Qidian. Aaajiao’s work, characterized by sci-tech driven imagination and engages directly with Internet sphere, data processing and filtration of information aligns with the project’s futuristic theme, “Envision 2166.”
Shanghai Project is organized by the Shanghai Himalayas Museum and is curated by co-artistic directors Yongwoo Lee—executive director at Shanghai Himalayas Museum, and Hans Ulrich Obrist, director at London Serpentine Galleries. The first edition of Shanghai Project invites researchers of various disciplines to speculate upon “2166.” It brings together domestic and international artists, scholars, and the people of Shanghai as researchers. The project incorporates disciplines such as the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, alongside more traditionally “cultural” practices, such as visual art, performance, film/video, sound, architecture, and design. Researchers, as well as their ideas, methods and projects form the basis for the exhibitions, performances, and publications. More than just a centennial year, “2116” provokes speculation upon the endurance of political, social, economic, cultural, as well as ecological, orders. The project is a yearlong ideas platform to think, discuss, relate and act on the sustainability of our futures in the 22nd century.
Unfolding in two phases, the Shanghai Project begins first with a series of gatherings, talks, workshops, walks, screenings, and live events, sited in outdoor architectural commissions, launching on September 4, 2016. These architectural commissions, and their programming will continue through the second phase. The second phase, including the exhibition and public works program, will begin on April 22, 2017 and continue for 100 days until July 30, 2017.
As an independent program of the Shanghai Project, Qidian is dedicated to featuring young undiscovered talents across China. The international team of juries is composed of artistic directors Hans-Ulrich Obrist and Yongwoo Lee, curators Simon Castets, Yan Xiaodong, Zhang Hanlu, Sooyoung Leam and artist aaajiao.