Showtime at the art fair
By Wang Jie (Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2004-11-17 09:14

A ceramic work from Shenyao.

Appearances of sculptures by some of the biggest names in world are becoming a fixture at the Shanghai Art Fair. Following past showings of Rodin's "Thinker" and Baldaccini's "Thumb," sculpture space at this year's art fair is reserved for Fernando Botero and his "Woman Sitting on a Horse."

Starting from today, the five-day event running at the ShanghaiMart has attracted nearly 261 galleries from 11 countries, including the United States, Japan, Canada and the Netherlands.

The artistic styles range from canvases to sculptures and from ceramics to traditional ink-wash paintings. As if to echo the call to raise the level of urban sculpture in Shanghai, more overseas galleries are bringing their sculpture works to the fair this year, including examples of work by heavyweights like Rodin and Renoir.

Yet, without doubt Botero is the "star" this year. "Woman Sitting on a Horse" stands 2.2 meters high and was cast in bronze in 1999. The exaggerated chubby face and plump body of the woman are Botero's signature.

"There will be nearly 30 sculptures at the art fair," says Wang Anwei, spokesman of the organizing committee. "In terms of number, styles and taste, a sculpture exhibition on this scale has never before been seen in any art fair in China."

Claiming to be the biggest art fair in Asia, the Shanghai Art Fair's exhibition area covers around 13,000 square meters with 300 exhibition booths. To cater to different buyers, the exhibition hall is divided into two parts -- high-class artworks on the fourth floor and decorative pieces on the third floor. Paul Judelson, the owner of I-20 Gallery in New York, is showcasing art pieces by six artists on the fourth floor.

"I-20 participates in many art fairs every year, and we want Shanghai to be our first fair in Asia," Judelson says. "We thought it was important to be able to bring a high level of contemporary art to Shanghai. It would spearhead my first trip to China."

Judelson first heard about Shanghai Art Fair from a friend who lives in Miami. "He participated in last year's Shanghai Art Fair and spoke highly of the experience. I decided to join with him this year, and our stands are near each other."

On the list of the artists whose works Judelson will introduce at the fair, Andreas Gursky is an eye-catching name. Gursky, a contemporary photographer from Germany, is an internationally acclaimed artist. His photo at I-20 is priced at US$140,000.

"The prices at our stand ranges from US$800 to US$140,000," Judelson says. "Of course we want to sell most of the works, but our success also depends on the enthusiasm and commitment of collectors who attend the fair."

If the test of the ultimate success of an art fair is how many buyers it is able to draw, the Shanghai Art Fair, although proud in its size, still struggles to attract great numbers of collectors from both home and abroad.

ShanghART Gallery, which has been part of the Shanghai Art Fair for years, won't be represented at the fair this year.

Gallery owner Lorenz Helbling explains that ShanghART will be participating in the Miami Art Fair which is being held at the same time. "We can't manage to be at the two fairs simultaneously," says Helbling. Although he admits that he has sold all his works on exhibition at previous Shanghai Art Fairs, the size of the deals here definitely cannot be compared with what he has been able to achieve overseas.

Besides ShanghART, the Shanghai Gallery of Art at Three on the Bund and Art Scene China, the other two top galleries in the city, are also absent from the fair this year.

However, Shenyao, the Peninsular Art Center and Mingyuan Art Center, the newly emerged non-government art organizations, have demonstrated their enthusiasm to being part of the fair. "It is the best art fair in Asia," says Luo Jingpin, president of Shenyao, a kiln center which promotes high-class chinaware.

"This year, we has rented an exhibition booth of 60 square meters, because we did quite well last year in selling our ceramic works." It seems to be routine now that contemporary artworks -- canvas, video or photograph - are less popular at the Shanghai Art Fair than ceramics and sculptures which are the favorites of buyers and media.

Most of the buyers are from the Chinese mainland, perhaps because chinaware, even when painted with abstract forms, is easy to accept and appreciate.

"If you want to purchase a canvas or an ink-wash painting, you can just wander around the galleries in town," says Chen Jialing, president of Peninsular Kiln Center. "But when it comes to ceramics or sculptures, choices are limited. As these venues are either located in the suburbs or unknown to most art lovers."

Any local property company, eager to win overnight fame, can try its luck with Botero's big bronze as his name will sweep all on media exposure, just like the successful buyers at past art fairs.

Time : through November 21, 10am-6pm
Place: 99 Xingyi Rd.
Price: 25 yuan
Tel: 6236-6888

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