Nanshan

NANSHAN

Established as China’s first special economic zone in 1980, Shenzhen is not only a leading global technology hub (dubbed ‘China’s Silicon Valley’), but is also at the forefront of China’s cultural and cultural industries. One of the fastest-growing cities in the world in the 1990s and 2000s, Shenzhen houses a number of art museums and institutions to keep the art-lover in you busy. Many of these museums and institutions also have equally flattering architectural designs that are bound to impress.

As one of the 9 districts making up Shenzhen, Nanshan is located to the northwest of Deep Bay, sitting directly north of Yuen Long in Hong Kong. Easily accessible via Shekou, Nanshan has an established tourism industry, with an abundance of sightseeing locations and art institutions. You’re bound to enjoy all this district has to offer.

SO Sage Observatory

Sprinkled with small gallery spaces, stores and cafés, SO Sage Observatory is the new creative hub and art centre of Shekou. Inaugurated in 2020, it’s ideal for an afternoon stroll. Explore the area for graffiti, installations, immersive art experiences, as well as to meet new-and-upcoming designers and creative people. Known for flash events and pop-up stores, it’s the perfect place to snap Instagram-worthy pictures, and to experience the youthful art scene of Shenzhen.

Sea World Culture and Arts Center

Around a 10-minute drive north from SO Sage Observatory, the Sea World Culture and Arts Center is situated on the waterfront in Shekou. Completed in 2017, it was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect, Fumihiko Maki. Besides retail stores, theatre, and a multi-purpose hall, it also houses the V&A Gallery, which is managed by the Design Society, all located within the same complex.

V&A Gallery

The Victoria and Albert Museum in the UK has been instrumental in developing a dialogue with China’s design and creative communities, and its first international gallery is testament to this commitment. Managed by the Design Society, the V&A Gallery aims to contribute to the national and global design debate in China, provide a space for learning, enjoyment and inspiration, and foster exchange and participation; it also aims to play an active role in the local design and manufacturing scene in Shenzhen.

Shenzhen Design Society 

While you’re here, check out the Shenzhen Design Society. As China’s first dedicated cultural design hub, the Design Society was established by China Merchants Shekou, a state-owned firm. Its primary mission is design, and its philosophy reflects the upward mobility of young China as well as the dynamism and innovation that drives urban art and design.

Shenzhen University Museum

The heart of Nanshan district houses Shenzhen University Museum, which sits inside a university with a campus ranked as one of China’s ten most beautiful. The 5 exhibition halls of the museum stage presentations that cover a wide range of art styles and media, including Chinese painting, calligraphy, printmaking, oils, watercolour, and sculpture.

He Xiangning Art Museum

Explore the first national museum in China to bear an artist’s name, the He Xiangning Art Musuem, which was established in 1997. Named after the modernist painter, politician and feminist, the museum puts on a wide variety of exhibitions showcasing contemporary and classical Chinese art. Entry is free with advance reservation. 

Hua Art Museum

A stone’s throw away from the He Xiangning Art Museum, discover Hua Art Museum. Established in 2008, the art space is a platform for showcasing postmodern and contemporary art and design displays throughout the year. Originally a laundry building, its exterior wall was redesigned with 4 different sizes of hexagons, rendering it a geometric look both modern and futuristic.

Hexagon Gallery

Located in the OCT-Loft, the Hexagon Gallery, founded in 2020 by emerging art collector Yvonne Wang, offers a visit worth your while. The gallery’s mission is to connect emerging artists with art enthusiasts, providing an affordable opportunity for them to support and engage with art. Moreover, the gallery seeks to ignite dialogue and foster connections among people across borders through the power of art.

Artron Shenzhen

North from OCT, you will find one of the three Artron centres in China, Artron Shenzhen, established in 2015. It houses the world’s largest art library with over 120,000 related books in 10 different languages. The centre is a hybrid between a library, gallery and museum, with an invaluable collection of calligraphy, paintings and photographs from some of China’s most important contemporary artists. It also houses the world’s largest singular wall of Chinese and Western art history books (50,000 in total on a wall spanning 50 metres by 30 metres). On top of that, Artron also houses outdoor and indoor exhibition spaces, a multi-purpose room, a children’s book space, a restaurant, and artfully-designed meeting rooms.

KennaXu Gallery (KCCA)

To commemorate its 4th anniversary, KennaXu Gallery, under the guidance of founder Kenna Xu, has expanded its presence in Shenzhen by establishing a second art space named KennaXu Gallery (KCCA). With a focus on the international art scene, the gallery showcases the works of emerging artists like Alina Birkner, as well as German artists such as Imi Knoebel, Enrico Bach, Jean Y. Klein, and Reinhard Roy. In addition, the gallery actively participates in art fairs, where it presents a diverse range of international artists, including promising emerging talents.