ARTWORKS will “stroll” out of the Jing’an Sculpture Park and take over the hustle-bustle of Nanjing Road West and banks of the Suzhou Creek from Sept. 26 to the end of the year.

The eighth installment of Shanghai Jing’an International Sculpture Project (JISP), a biennial festival featuring sculptures from home and abroad, promises to transform Jing’an District into an open-air gallery, infusing everyday life with stunning sculptures.

Curated by UCCA Lab under the guidance of its director Philip Tinari, the exhibition takes “Echoes Among Us” as its theme, employing music as a metaphor and drawing inspiration from the imagery of concertos.

Thirty-one artists from 10 countries and regions will present 35 pieces of works, with 14 sculptors from China.

In a nod to the 60th anniversary of Sino-French diplomatic relations, France is featured as the country of honor with a robust representation of seven artists, including Martial Raysse, who holds the record for the most expensive work sold by a living French artist, and Daniel Buren, who won the Golden Lion for Best Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1986.

Other prominent artists include George Rickey from the United States, famed for his precisely calibrated, poetic sculptures and considered one of the foremost kinetic artists of the 20th century.

Highlighting its uniqueness, 22 of the 35 works have been specially commissioned for this event. Claudia Comte from Switzerland, Marc Fornes from France, and Yuri Suzuki from Japan will present new works exploring the intersections of ecology, architecture, sound, and sculpture.

Chinese artists also feature prominently, including Shi Hui, who represented China at the 2024 Venice Biennale, alongside leading contemporary figures from the 80s and 90s such as Nabuqi, Wang Lijun, Yang Mushi, and Zhang Yibei.

The sculptures will be displayed in the main venue – Jing’an Sculpture Park – and across six extended sites: Jing An Kerry Center, HKRI Taikoo Hui, Jing’an Tongfu Garden, Shanghai Suhewan MIXC World, Suhe Haus, and Jing’an Shuangyong Park.

Over 30 diverse activities have been planned to further engage the public, including guided tours, lawn concerts, and art-themed workshops.

“We have been holding the JISP since 2010, because we have faith in the power of art, and believe that sculptures in public spaces can build connections between art, the city and its people,” said Zhang Xifei, head of the Jing’an administration of landscaping and city appearance.

(SD-Agencies)