SHANGHAI.- A few weeks following the Beijing Olympics where the world focuses on sports, Shanghai becomes the focus of the international art world. After a successful debut in 2007, ShContemporary returns to the spectacular Shanghai Exhibition Center from September 10th - 13th. This year the fair coincides with Shanghai Biennale offering art lovers an unparalleled art extravaganza in Shanghai during September.

Over 130 international galleries representing 26 countries will meet for the second edition of ShContemporary The fair promises to create an intriguing dialogue between the Orient and Occident, featuring the best galleries from the East juxtaposed with the top Western galleries.

ShContemporary is the only major international art show that provides a comprehensive top quality overview of the artistic scene in Asia and creates a cross over with the works of western artists. The first edition of the fair held last September received a very positive response from galleries, collectors, media and art lovers from throughout the world. The fair organiser is undertaking special efforts in order to make this year’s ShContemporary even more successful. ShContemporary preview on Tuesday 9th September coincides with Shanghai Biennale, opening just one day after the Biennale.

Participating Galleries
“The galleries and artists in the fair have been selected on the basis of excellent creative quality that goes beyond fashion and market trends.” stated Lorenzo Rudolf fair director. ShContemporary is pleased to announce over 130 selected exhibitors. Among them, almost 50% comes from Asia Pacific region, and the rest 50% or over comes from Europe and America.

Best of Discovery
ShContemporary aims to serve as a catalyst for exchanges between Western and Asian art worlds by supporting and cultivating the interactions of the rising art scenes of Asia with those worldwide. By presenting Best of Discovery - a special curated platform, ShContemporary offers an opportunity to discover the new generation of Asian artists. Building on the successful response received in the first edition, the space and number of participants will increase from 20 to 32 artists. The works will be arranged as a museum like, sales exhibition in a large open space format with no exhibitor wall separations.

Eleven specialized curators from the Asia Pacific region who are knowledgeable with the artistic scenes in their geographical areas have selected artists who are unknown and/or not yet established in the international art world. This sector will offer visitors an insight to the artistic developments in these Asia Pacific regions while providing the artists a platform to reach the global art audience.

Outdoor Projects
This year’s edition debuts an exciting new component to the fair – Outdoor Special Projects. Installations, performances, interventions and sculptures have an important position in contemporary artistic creation. “The artistic developments of many artists in the east and the west are in need of a public space platform in Shanghai,” explained Lorenzo Rudolf, director of ShContemporary, who in the past also created “Art Unlimited” at Art Basel in Switzerland. ShContemporary is the first international art fair in Asia to offer a platform for artists’ work in a public space. The grounds of the Shanghai Exhibition Center will provide an appropriate ambiance to show these interesting outdoor projects and offer a greater insight to the developments in contemporary art. The selection of the outdoor projects is in process.

VIP Program
A special VIP program offer visits to Shanghai Biennale, private collections, museums, receptions, and special art tour trips including Beijing and the Nanjing and Guangzhou Triennials.

Lecture Program
ShContemporary will present a series of lectures and panel discussions featuring talks with prominent Western and Asian collectors, book presentations, contemporary art investment, and Asian art scenes. ArtAsiaPacific Magazine, the fair’s official media will organize panel discussions addressing the art scenes in the Asia-Pacific region with the curators and artists of Best of Discovery, the special curated sector of the fair.