PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai Announces Partners,Public and VIP Programmes

·      Tickets on sale now for PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai, September 9-11 at Shanghai Exhibition Centre via www.photofairs.org

·      Press preview: Thursday 8 September at 2pm

·      Images available at www.photofairs.org/press

·      Tweet this: #PHOTOFAIRS announces 2016 partners and dynamic public program

PHOTOFAIRS, international art fairs dedicated to photography, returns to the Shanghai Exhibition Center from September 9-11, 2016.

For its third edition PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai is delighted to welcome its returning partners Mercedes-Benz (Leading Partner), American Express (VIP Partner) and Leica (Photo Partner) back to the fair, together with new partners for 2016: NET-A-PORTER (Vernissage Partner) and XITEK (Event Partner).

PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai is the most international art fair in mainland China and is leading the conversation around the collection of photography across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.

Building on the success of its first two editions, PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai will present a dynamic Public Program in 2016.  Comprising two strands, Conversations and Insights, the public exhibitions and talks will bring together the very best leading and emerging contemporary artists with authoritative voices from across the art world.

PUBLIC PROGRAM

Conversations: Leading names from across the industry will be brought together in Conversations. Engaging panel discussions and intimate ‘in-conversations’ will draw on key themes and ideas seen throughout the fair.  This dynamic talks program includes:

·    Collecting & Curating: Vanessa Hallett and Qiao Zhibing in Conversation. Qiao Zhibing, one of China’s most influential contemporary collectors discusses The Bright Future of the International Contemporary Photography Market with Vanessa Hallett, Worldwide Head of Photographs, Senior Vice President, PHILLIPS. 

·    The Future of Korean Photography is explored in-depth by Jiyoon Lee, Director, Seoul Museum of Art. 

·    The ever-popular artist talks will this year feature London-based fine art photographers Anderson & Low, Beijing artist Ren Hang in conversation with RongRong, and German photographer Michael Wolf who has dedicated his career to capturing life in mega cities such as Hong Kong.

Insights: Audiences in Shanghai will be the first to experience Insights, a curated exhibition of museum-quality works offering unique pieces for private sale.  A new annual exhibition with a changing theme, the inaugural 2016 show will explore New Approaches to Photography Since 2000.

Co-curated by leading independent curator Biljana Ciric and PHOTOFAIRS Artistic Director Alexander Montague-Sparey, featured artists include: Peter Beard, Birdhead, Geng Jianyi, Lee Kit, Helmut Newton, Shao Wenhuan and Sukho Kang.  A talk between the two curators, Montague-Sparey and Ciric, will be a highlight of Conversations.

All Public Program events are free to attend with a PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai ticket.  For a full list of dates and times see www.photofairs.org

COLLECTORS’ PROGRAM

Shanghai’s museums, institutions, galleries, prominent collectors and patrons will participate in the PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai Collectors’ Program. Highlights include:

·    Exclusive opening preview of Qiao Zhibing’s Qiao Space, and the inaugural exhibition Studio featuring twelve specially commissioned contemporary Chinese artists. 

·    A first look at the Patrick & Victor Demarchelier exhibition hosted by 10 Corso Como. This is the first opportunity to see collaborative works alongside a comprehensive exhibition of their individual practices.

·    American Express will host an exclusive collectors dinner to celebrate the third edition of PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai.

PARTNER EXHIBITIONS AND HIGHLIGHTS

Leading Partner MERCEDES-BENZ has proudly invited the renowned Swiss new media artist Marc Lee to create his new media video work 10,000 Moving Cities — Sense Version for the all-new 2016 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe. Amid the dazzling lights of the exhibition hall, the artist will envelop spectators and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe within the large video installation work, which revolves around the keywords “City” and “Sense”. Close-up images of the city will be blown up into a kaleidoscopic extravaganza of images — all alongside the pioneering, splendid design of the C-Class Coupe. The artist’s unique and impactful visual language will be showcased to great effect alongside the dynamism of the C-Class Coupe, placing viewers in a wonderful dreamscape of the ultimate urban experience.

VIP Partner AMERICAN EXPRESS will invite its most premium Chinese Card Members who are interested in photography and art investment to the event preview followed by a private dinner joined by senior executives of the fair organizer, renowned curators and artists.  Dave Keung, Managing Director, China, American Express said, “American Express has been known globally for more than a century for offering our customers the services and experiences they’re looking for. As the most frequently used card brand in the art investment market, in particular photography buying segment, we are not only facilitating our customers’ payment, but also feeding them with market insights and providing them with money-can’t-buy experiences, such as helping them engage with well-known curators and artists.”

Photo Partner LEICA will present China – Seen from inside and the air.  Marc Riboud is a master of composition with a keen eye for the ideal placement of content and the effects of lines and planes. The French Magnum photographer, born in 1923, owes his fame primarily to his series of photographs of China. The Leica Gallery at PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai presents a comprehensive cross-section of his works shot between 1957 and 2002. Earlier and even more exceptional rarities are the aerial pictures of China, captured by aviation pioneer Count of Castell-Rüdenhausen, a pilot who explored and photographed China from the air with his Leica in the 1930s. The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to rediscover the extraordinary colour photographs he brought back from his travels.  In addition to these highlights of photographic history, contemporary images show another facet of photography in China: two young Asian photographers surprise viewers by showing China in an entirely different light – sometimes peaceful and poetic, sometimes bright and unconventional – their photographs as diverse as China itself.

NET-A-PORTER, Vernissage Partner, presents an exhibition featuring fashion images of iconic celebrities from Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore and fashion icons Kate Moss and Miranda Kerr, to shining Chinese stars like Li Bingbing and He Sui. The exhibition includes the work of world-renowned fashion photographers including David Bellemere, Yin Chao, Steven Pan, Chris Colls, Yelena Yemchuk and Sebastian Kim, to name a few. NET-A-PORTER launched in June 2000 and has since established itself as the world’s premier online luxury fashion destination for content and commerce. Championing innovation, NET-A-PORTER is renowned for its original editorial content and unparalleled edit comprising more than 450 of the world’s most coveted designer brands, bringing the latest fashion trends, style and inspiration to customers worldwide. M. Claire Chung, General Manager of the YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP in China comments: “NET-A-PORTER is the fashion pioneer that first merged e-commerce and content. We are delighted to be a partner of PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai and present a curated exhibition of “The Edit” fashion images featuring some of the most stylish and accomplished women that have graced our contents and shot by some of  the leading fashion photographers in the world.” 

Event Partner XITEK will present the “XITEK Annual Special Exhibition”, a dynamic new solo show by contemporary artist Wang Ningde.  It will include the public debut of the artists’ new work, No Name.  Wang Ningde has continually used his works to expand the boundaries of image art, and the No Name series once again reflects his keen insight and experimental vision.  In the work the artists has photographically collected numerous markings left by the brushstrokes of nameless people in urban spaces as creative elements.  From this, Ningde creates collates that are like paintings in their quality.

PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai is also proud to be supported by 10 Corso Como (Lifestyle Partner), Domus Tiandi (Furniture Partner), Bund-1 (Restaurant Partner), Wines of Chile (Wine Partner), Hahnemühle (Paper Partner) and MEMORIESLAB (Print Partner).

MODERN MEDIA GROUP, returning to the fair as Strategic Media Partner, will present exhibitions by three of its leading titles, Numéro, LEAP and Life Magazine.  High fashion magazine Numéro will present the work of Spanish photographer Txema Yeste, Life will show 13 artists who have long-standing collaborations with the magazine and LEAP invites nine China-based artists to explore the body in the midst of mass media in its exhibition, Action! Imaged Bodies.  Mr Thomas Shao, Chairman, Modern Media Group states, "PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai is an international, distinctive and highly curated art fair.  Modern Media Group is proud to work with the fair since its inception and introduce this world-class platform to China."

Digital Partners artnet and Ocula will create online platforms for PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai, giving international collectors and the wider public the opportunity to view and experience the galleries and artworks at any time.  Platforms will go live early September.

Media booths at the fair will be provided by China Business Network, Same Paper, Art World, Art & Collection Group, Photographers' Companion and Lens. For the first time, audiences can enjoy the PHOTOFAIRS | Newsstand with hand-selected titles including:  ArtReview Asia, Art Trade Journal, Hi Art, Noblesse, Shanghai Daily, That’s Shanghai, Tribe, VISION, Let's Weekly and COSMOPOLITAN.  Other media supporting the fair include: Aesthetica, Artron, Art Price, My Art Guide, Ran Dian, and Widewalls.

Following Shanghai, PHOTOFAIRS will move to the United States for its inaugural edition in San Francisco.  Running January 27-29, 2017 at the Festival Pavilion at Fort Mason Center, the fair is open for applications from galleries until September 30, 2016.

PHOTOFAIRS key dates

·      Shanghai

o   Press Preview (by invitation only) – Thursday 8 September 2016

o   Collectors’ Preview  (by invitation only) and Vernissage (by invitation only &  select tickets) – Thursday 8 September 2016

o   VIP Preview  (by invitation only & select tickets) – Friday 9 September 2016

o   Public Opening – Saturday 10 – Sunday 11 September 2016

·      San Francisco

o   Press Preview (by invitation only) – Thursday 26 January 2017

o   Collectors’ Preview (by invitation only) – Thursday 26 January 2017

o   Public Opening – Friday 27 – Sunday 29 January 2017

Press contact and accreditation

·    For all queries, images and to apply for press accreditation please contact [email protected]  

NOTES TO EDITORS

PHOTOFAIRS are dedicated to presenting fine art photography and moving image from leading international galleries and their artists in dynamic and cutting-edge destinations around the world.  In its highly curated approach, PHOTOFAIRS provides an elegant and vibrant environment for both established and new collectors. In addition, events programs and bespoke advisory services during the fairs create an engaging platform to nurture new collectors.  Fair destinations include PHOTOFAIRS | Shanghai, September 9-11, 2016 at the Shanghai Exhibition Center and PHOTOFAIRS | San Francisco, launching January 27-29, 2017 in Festival Pavilion at the Fort Mason Center.

American Express is a global services company, providing customers with access to products, insights and experiences that enrich lives and build business success.  Learn more at www.americanexpress.com/gns and www.americanexpress.cn and connect with us on e.weibo.com/amexchina and our WeChat account (ID: Amex)

Since 1997, American Express has partnered with a select group of leading banks and financial institutions around the world to issue American Express-branded products and acquire merchants on to the American Express merchant network.  By leveraging its partnerships, global infrastructure and the powerful appeal of the brand, American Express has gained even broader reach for its network worldwide.

Leica Camera AG is an internationally operating, premium-segment manufacturer of cameras and sport optics products. The legendary status of the Leica brand is founded on a long tradition of excellence in the construction of lenses. And today, in combination with innovative technologies, Leica products continue to guarantee better pictures in all situations in the worlds of visualisation and perception. Leica Camera AG has its headquarters in Wetzlar, in the state of Hesse in Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal. The company operates branch offices in England, France, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Italy, Australia, the USA and China. New and innovative products have been the driving force behind the company’s positive development in recent years.

NET-A-PORTER launched in June 2000 and has since established itself as the world’s premier online luxury fashion destination. A pioneer of innovation;  NET-A-PORTER speaks to a global monthly audience of 6 million female luxury consumers, fans and followers via the weekly shoppable digital magazine THE EDIT, powered by NET-A-PORTER, and PORTER Magazine, the game-changing luxury fashion magazine powered by NET-A-PORTER that combines the intimacy of print with a state-of- the-art digital shopping experience and THE NET SET, the world’s first shoppable social media platform powered by NET-A-PORTER.  NET-A-PORTER is presented in the style of a fashion magazine, is renowned for its unparalleled edit comprising more than 450 of the world’s most coveted designer brands, including Saint Laurent, Isabel Marant, Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci and Stella McCartney, over 190 specialist beauty brands within NET-A-SPORTER. NET-A-PORTER champions unparalleled customer service – offering express worldwide shipping to more than 170 countries (including same-day delivery to Manhattan, London and Hong Kong, next-day delivery to the UK, US, Germany, France, Australia and Singapore, and 1-3 days to China), a seamless shopping experience across mobile, tablet, desktop, email and telephone, luxurious packaging, easy returns and a multi-lingual customer care and personal shopping team that are available 24/7, 365 days. www.net-a-porter.com

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