It's International Museum Day today and we check in with two of the city's most impressive new museums that are transforming the former Xuhui Riverside industrial area. Included in The Economist's list of Five Museums to see in 2014, the Long Museum West Bund and Yuz Museum are ringing in their one-year anniversaries with impressive exhibitions that exemplify their founder's grandiose ideas.
Lauded by Art & Auction as one of the ten most influential figures in the art world, poultry magnate Budi Tek has found a suitable home in the Yuz Museum for the impressive installations that fill his personal collection. Myth/History II: Shanghai Galaxy includes impressive pieces from Italian satirical sculptor Maurizio Cattelan, Beijing conceptual artist Li Hui and rising Thai artist Pannaphan Yodman. The museum’s smaller gallery rooms are dedicated to showcasing the evolution of important local artists like Zhang Enli, Yang Zhenzhong and Zhang Jianjun.
While Myth/History II is just the museum’s second exhibition, Deputy Director David Tung promises a flurry of activity in the near future. Kopi’s new atrium café hosted an excited three-day festival that mixed art with music and we chatted with Tung about the museum’s upcoming plans. For more, check out our interview with Budi Tek before the museum's opening.
You recently joined the Yuz Museum. What were your thoughts about it before?
Budi Tek is a well-known collector. While there’s a history of private museums starting up in China, there hasn’t been one as serious about contemporary art in particular that has tried to establish something of this scale. This was a watershed moment in all of China of private individuals looking beyond how a project links with their business interest. Mr. Tek is based in Shanghai and the Yuz Museum is him saying this is something that I’m passionate about and want to share with the community I live in and work.
How would you describe Mr. Tek’s collection?
It’s focused on reconstructing this history of Chinese contemporary art starting from the 1980’s. There’s a real focus on this line of local artists starting from that period. It’s an ongoing developing collection. That’s one of the thing that’s very different about the museum – it has a collection that’s part of the conversation with the exhibitions we hold.
The first show Myth/History was very much focused on the breadth of his collection. We had a few pieces and installations by important international artists. For Myth/History II, we wanted to look at the two timelines that are happening from an art history perspective. We use the larger space for this idea of ‘Myth’ that explores more fundamental universal concepts to create linkages across art histories, geographies and time.
The smaller galleries on the side are devoted to the ‘history’ portion and understanding the importance of international ideas coming to Shanghai and how that impacted artists like Zhang Jianjun. We reflect back on how that connects to the larger international context, but the space is small enough that it can exist on its own.
Congratulations on your one-year anniversary. What have been some of the highlights and challenges?
The highlights have been the reception the museum has received. We’ve had really great support from local artists and international collectors. It was chosen by The Economist as one of the Top Five galleries to see in 2014. It’s good to have that bar set high. The challenges are everyday things. Just keeping focused on maintaining that standard of quality. When different members of the art world visit, they remark on the standard of the presentation, the quality of the works and our team.
The Yuz Museum has only hosted two exhibitions. Are there plans for this to increase?
Programming wise, the museum hasn’t been rotating a lot. That was a conscious strategy because there’s a lot to focus on when you’re starting as a young private institution. However, a lot of things have been put into place over the last few months and we’re ready to start moving this in a strong direction forward. We will feature Rain Room in September, which has been an international phenomenon and showed at London MOMA. There’s quite a lot of programming coming up that will be vibrant. Aside from the shows, we want to have a program that brings in aspects from Shanghai’s community, whether it’s film screenings, talks, lectures or events – all of the things that are important in what makes a museum a 21st century museum.
What are your thoughts on the West Bund?
Business wise, it’s great. The idea is to have a museum as a cultural outpost and for people to make that voyage. There are museums that make that work like Mass MOCA. The whole river is going to apparently extend its walk-way up to the North Bund – a 15km strip with ferries and light rail linking everything together. Having that confluence within the area really creates that energy and hopefully sparks some interesting conversations. It’s going to be wild.
Has Mr. Tek purchased anything new this year?
Many things (laughs). Rain Room is his most recent one and that’s going to show up in September.
What makes the Yuz Museum distinct from other galleries?
The scale and uniqueness of the collection. Regardless of whether it’s local or international, the pieces have to deliver a strong sense of personality. Our focus is on being in Shanghai but looking at it from an international perspective.
If you’re coming from Shanghai, you’re able to see the best of what’s being offered in New York, London and Paris. If you’re coming internationally, you’re able to see what’s the best to offer from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and other places. We understand that’s our role and it reflects the collection and personality of our founder. We have very high hopes for the cultural ambitions of China. We want to present that authentically and represent it here and outside.
How often does Mr. Tek come?
Quiet often. He’s actively involved, which keeps the museum with a forward-looking mission.
// Myth/History II: Shanghai Galaxy runs until July 12, Tues-Sun, 10.30am-5.30pm, RMB60. Yuz Museum.
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