Gallery Weekend Beijing Announces Robust Line-up for 2022 Edition

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TEXT：CAFA ART INFO DATE： 2022.1.17

View of the Opening Conference.jpg

View of the Opening Conference

Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ), the leading platform to discover contemporary art from Mainland China and beyond, announces the list of participating galleries, non-profit institutions, and programme highlights for the 2022 edition running from 27 May – 5 June, with a VIP Preview from 27-29 May and Public Days from 31 May – 5 June. Held at Beijing’s 798 Art Zone, Caochangdi Art District and other various sites across the city, the programme will showcase a robust line-up of 38 exhibitors spanning 7 different global cities as selected by this year’s Academic Committee.

Led by Director Amber Yifei Wang, the 6th edition will celebrate the thriving modern-day art scene across Beijing, positioning exhibitions at its core, combining cutting-edge contemporary visual art, performances, talks with an expanded programme in physical and virtual formats. Considering art’s role in sharing and building a sustainable art ecosystem in an urban context, the GWBJ Academic Committee has chosen ‘Sharing’ as the overarching theme of the 6th edition, for which it will also host the Main Sector Special Exhibition at the 798 Art Center in addition to the curated programmes under each sector. Further information on all sectors and the special exhibition will be announced in due course.

At the core of the GWBJ exhibition programme, the Main Sector features Beijing’s outstanding galleries and non-profit institutions. This year’s roster will feature 23 galleries and 6 non-profit institutions, with first time participants including: EGG Gallery, HdM Gallery, Mocube, CHOI CENTRE and the recently opened Macalline Art Center. The sector will also celebrate the return of INKstudio, PIFO Gallery, SOKA ART, WHITE SPACE and Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing.

View of Roundtable Discussion.jpg View of Roundtable Discussion

Navigating the challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, GWBJ is steadfast in continuing wider international exchanges and engaging vast audiences with Beijing’s contemporary art scene through an expanded Visiting Sector, dedicated to galleries outside Beijing. Taking ‘City’ as a direction for their presentations, galleries under this sector will stage exhibitions that inject new energy and contextual diversity into Beijing's contemporary art scene. This year’s Visiting Sector will feature 9 galleries with spaces in Berlin, Chengdu, Hong Kong, London, Paris, and Shanghai. First time participants at GWBJ are Sadie Coles HQ (London), Sprüth Magers (Berlin, London, Los Angeles), Almine Rech (Paris, Brussels, London, New York, Shanghai) and Timothy Taylor (London, New York).

The Public Sector will showcase ambitious site-specific projects in the public realm that transcends traditional art spaces and engages visitors. The Up&Coming Sector will also return this year in the form of a talk programme bringing together a wide range of guest speakers with different perspectives to discuss the future of contemporary art.

Transitioning from an annual 9-day event to having a year-round presence, GWBJ will enhance its mobile app user experience by offering a private art guide to keep Beijing’s art ecosystem and its artists relevant throughout the year as well as maintaining the buzz and excitement in the lead up to the physical event. Additionally, GWBJ will continue to publish high-quality video features centred on topics in the contemporary art ecosystem on its official website and WeChat channel, such as “Weekend Picks" "Artist Says" "Story of the Collection” and "Patron of the Arts", which feature insights from notable artworld figures on the topics and trends shaping today’s artistic landscape.

Amber Yifei Wang, Director of Gallery Weekend Beijing, says: “Now in its sixth year, GWBJ remains as the only gallery weekend model and the first art event in China to successfully collaborate with an international art weekend platform, and we are excited to welcome first time participants from cities including Paris, London and Berlin. The GWBJ Academic Committee has chosen ‘Sharing’ as the theme for this year, paving the way for this Beijing-rooted cohesive platform to actively promote international art exchange, partnerships, and a collegial and sustainable art ecology fostered by galleries, institutions and artists. We look forward to gathering in Beijing in the spring and working with all exhibitors to stage another year of remarkable exhibition programmes.”

Further programme details and exhibitors will be announced in Spring 2022. For more information, please follow GWBJ via its social media channels.

Key Dates

Media Preview: Thursday, 26 May 2022

VIP Preview: Friday-Sunday, 27-29 May 2022

Public Days: Tuesday-Sunday, 31 May-5 June 2022

About Gallery Weekend Beijing

Founded in 2017, Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ) aims to build a professional, forward-thinking, international platform for conversations about contemporary art. GWBJ runs every Spring with a series of art events centred around a curated selection of new exhibitions from galleries and non-profit institutions across Beijing. The nine-day art event includes an opening ceremony, media guided tours, VIP guided tours, academic forums, performances, artist studio visits, private collection visits, parties, and an annual dinner. The three-day long VIP Days feature important domestic and international museum directors, collectors, art critics and media. Art professionals and collectors are able to discuss and share knowledge through a series of academic activities. The six-day long Public Days aim to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about art and provide Beijing residents with an insightful guide to art exhibitions in their own city.

Gallery Weekend Beijing 2022 Academic Committee

Carol Yinghua Lu, Director, Beijing Inside-Out Art Museum

Philip Tinari, Director, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art

Fang Fang, Founder, Star Gallery

Leng Lin, Founder, Beijing Commune

Sammi Liu, Founder, Tabula Rasa Gallery

Qu Kejie, Founder, Magician Space

Sun Shixian, Partner, CLC Gallery Venture

Participant List

Main Sector: Galleries

Asia Art Center

Beijing Commune