SHANGHAI.- In a formal ceremony that witnessed the performance of a creation of a unique work by artist Qin Feng, Christie’s officially opened their new exhibition space and office in Shanghai at the historic Ampire Building, near the Bund.

“When James Christie first opened the doors in London in 1766, nearly 250 years ago, his intention was to bring people art lovers together with the art they loved. Today in Shanghai we open this wonderful building that speaks of the history of the city, the tradition of Christie’s and yet also feels very contemporary and looks to the future. This building gives us the opportunity not only to bring art from around the world to Shanghai, but to bring the art of China to the rest of the world,” Steven Murphy, Chief Executive Officer, Christie’s commented in his opening remarks. “China now plays a hugely important role in the global art market. Nearly one third of all buyers are from Asia and in the last year, 20% of all new clients to Christie’s globally came from Greater China. We continue to lead the art world in our dedication to be an advocate for Asian art and culture on the global stage. During the last year, we have staged over 73 public exhibitions of Asian and Chinese art across the world. And today, we witnessed a wonderful artist, Qin Feng (born 1961), creating a work in a unique project that shows art itself is at the heart of what we do.”

Opening Ceremony Led by Artist Performance by Qin Feng
In the early glow of the Shanghai morning, artist Qin Feng revealed that overnight he and his team had spent hours preparing and laying down a monumental new artwork Landscape of Desire. This 15 meter by 30 meter work, executed in black acrylic painted on canvas, literally and artistically connected the space between the Peninsula Hotel the location of Christie’s Shanghai exhibitions and auctions this week, and the new Christie’s office at the Ampire Building.

Following the official opening ceremony, visitors to the office and hotel and those in the area were invited to walk on the stunning artwork adding their own imprint to the work. Qin Feng, born in Xinjiang in 1961, graduated from the Shangdong Art Institute in 1985. He returned to Beijing from a period in Berlin in 2006 to teach and serve as graduate advisor at the Central Academy for Fine Arts. In 2008 Qin Feng became a research associate at the Fairbank Centre for Chinese Studies at Harvard University. His works are collected by the British Museum, London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Jinqing Cai, President of Christie’s China commented, “Landscape of Desire is an art work that integrates behavior, painting, image, scenery and installation art. The way viewers participated in the creation of the art also makes it an extraordinarily powerful piece and a moment in time in Shanghai.” The artist will now divide the monumental canvas into 108 scenes and each work will be ‘adopted’ or sold for charitable purposes. The artist’s own foundation, Impoverished Artists Fund, a non profit art fund established jointly by Museum of Contemporary Art, Beijing (MOCA) and Beijing Contemporary Art Institute in October 2013. The aim of the fund is to help groups and individuals who are dedicated to the creation, research and promotion of Contemporary Chinese art. Teach for China will also be among the causes supported. “Humanity marches forward out of their desire, and the world is enriched with the existence of art. A thousand years later, if we re-gather and have a look at this Scenery in a historical gallery, we would see 108 visions and desires that list out of the value and reflection of the contemporary ourselves”, commented Qin Feng.

Since becoming the first international fine art company to establish a representative office in Shanghai in 1994, Christie’s has developed close relationships with the art and cultural community of this historic yet dynamic international city. Ampire building, designed by British Architects and completed in 1907 in the historic Bund is located near to the old English Consul. The building perfectly encapsulates the aesthetics and heritage of Christie’s. With nearly 10,000 square feet of multi-purpose space for office, events and exhibitions, Christie’s Shanghai will be a global art hub where the best of East and West, past and present converge. The opening ceremony saw Christie’s and Shanghai officials cut a special ribbon in an event that drew a crowd of journalists and public to the Bund. As Christie’s flags flew on the new building and special banners stretched down the street, the new art location in the city was officially opened.

Promoting Chinese Art as new Global Collecting Categories Launched in Shanghai and Hong Kong
One year on from Christie’s first sale here in the city, three auction sales will take place Friday 24 October at the Peninsula Hotel opposite the new Christie’s building including the stunning new Chinese Contemporary Design category featuring a series of works inspired by 5,000 years of Chinese culture joins the array of art on offer for the first time in the international auction calendar. In addition in Hong Kong in November, Christie’s will additionally launch the new collecting category - Contemporary Chinese Ink.

The Art of the Horse
The opening exhibition at the Ampire Building is the Art of the Horse. Featuring works of art from Antiquity to Contemporary, the selection of works of art explores how the image of the Horse has been used and interpreted in international art through the ages - as a symbol of power, as an image used in myth and legend, as an ally in war and as a sporting inspiration. Highlights include a Roman mosaic and an Attic Black- Figured Amphora from Antiquity, paintings by Alfred Munnings and Kees van Dongen, sculpture by Edgar Degas, Marino Marini and Fernando Botero as well as contemporary images by Richard Prince.