WHAT
In this retrospective of the emergence and prosperity of modernity in Paris’s Golden Age, over 300 objects are showcased, including architectural models, drawings, paintings, jewels, photographs, films, and garments, as well as new digital animations by DS+R to emulate the atmospheric scenes of the ‘movable feast’ of Parisian urban life. In addition, the exhibition presents historical references for studies on modernism in Shanghai; during the rapid development of Shanghai in the 1920s and 30s, urban culture was fed by the industrialisation and modernisation of the city – then known as ‘Paris of the Orient’.

WHY
In between the two world wars, Paris had immense influence over Europe and the rest of the world. Its industrial fabric was transformed to embrace the new doctrines of Taylorism and Fordism. New spatial and visual strategies came into play, using the endless resources of luxury craftsmanship. During this time, there were major developments in architecture, fashion, interior design, urban planning, and cinema. The city’s mysteries were explored by photographers, filmmakers, novelists, and scholars from all over the world, filling the 30-year period with creativity.