ARTPDF

https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/x6UcDAHZzxbkrwMO4tvp-g

The 13th ART021 Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair (hereafter referred to as ART021) has opened as scheduled. Among the 141 participating institutions, familiar veterans maintained their annual presence, while some past highlights were notably absent. Yet 34 new faces made their debut, collectively shaping this diverse and authentic art scene.

As the excitement of the opening day gradually settled, a practical question emerged: How did the galleries fare on this crucial night? We navigated through the exhibition halls and gathered 21 candid reflections from gallery founders and directors.
These firsthand accounts go beyond mere sales figures — they capture the temperature and direction of the market, sketching the truest contours of this VIP night.

Moe Zhao
Founder, M+M Gallery

Our gallery was established in Hong Kong this March, and ART021 is the first fair we've chosen to participate in. We believe it is the most influential and consistently high-quality art fair in Mainland China, and we had already connected with the core ART021 team and many Shanghai collectors beforehand.

At our booth this year, we presented works by three artists: Li Fangzhi from Taiwan, Alessandro Twombly (son of artist Cy Twombly), and post-90s emerging artist Francesco Cima. Within just three hours of the fair's opening, we had sold four works. To our delight, Li Fangzhi's pieces attracted the most attention on site — a truly pleasant surprise.