Picture Palace

China Art Palace

Coinciding with the National Day holiday on October 1st, and the opening of its across-the-Huangpu contemporary, the Power Station of Art , the China Art Palace is the second of the two new state-owned showstopper galleries set to wow Shanghai art lovers, and place the city firmly at the forefront of the international art scene. Occupying the eye-popping red, former 2010 World Expo China Pavilion building, the CAP structure alone is enough to garner global attention, with its inverted exterior of traditional interlocking wooden dougong (brackets) and an impressive 64,000 sq m of exhibition floor space comprising 27 separate halls within.

The vast space will not only house the world’s largest cache of modern Chinese art, it will also play host to visiting international collections, like the current ‘Congratulations from the World’ exhibition featuring works from six global galleries – including pieces by Te Papa Tongerewa from the Museum of New Zealand, and works by Jackson Pollock and Andy Warhol via New York’s Whitney Museum. The upper floors of the CAP are devoted to contemporary local art, both the classic, permanent-collection works as well as temporary shows such as ‘Shanghai Brightness’, the 600-piece strong exploration of the origins of the country’s modern art culture. Entry is free, but tickets are strictly required to be registered ahead of time, and given the website exists in Mandarin only, you’d best consult your Peninsula concierge for bookings assistance.