SHANGHAI.- French artist Arnaud Lapierre and creative studio UAP unveiled Ring - Chain, Lapierre’s first permanent artwork in China.

The sculpture is located in the Hall of the Moon, Ruihong Tiandi, a landmark commercial development that is set to become the bustling heart of Ruihong Xin Cheng, the largest international mixed-use development within Shanghai’s ‘golden triangle’, a focal point between the Bund, North Bund and Lujiazui CBD.

Ring - Chain provides an iconic centerpiece to the entrance of the Hall of the Moon, Ruihong Tiandi and activates the pedestrian plaza creating a dynamic and interactive atmosphere.

The doorway in the installation’s cylindrical form, which has been created using a repeating series of large mirror bricks, enables visitors to enter the enclosure and to see their own reflection multiplied to infinity, thereby producing a unique and surreal experience for each person.

The concept behind Ring - Chain is that the reflecting surface reconstructs a new paradigm from its urban surroundings and alters the viewer’s perception allowing spatial rediscovery.

Developer Shui On Land / China Xintiandi appointed UAP to curate and deliver the artwork. The Shanghai studio of UAP, which also has offices in Brisbane and New York was responsible for the curatorial theming and artist selection, as well as the concept, design development and delivery of the installation.

UAP’s curatorial team chose Paris-based artist Arnaud Lapierre, who first created the iconic installation Ring for Place Vendôme in 2011, because of his ability to produce works that play with the urban context and encourage social interaction.

Dane Currey, Principal Art + Design at UAP Shanghai, commented: “Shui On Land / China Xintiandi’s ambition for the Hall of the Moon is to provide a live entertainment destination and Arnaud’s concept was perfectly aligned with the client’s brief.

“We were particularly impressed by the dynamics that Ring - Chain can create, allowing people to walk around and inside the artwork, catching glimpses of one another and capturing these moments.

“Also, Arnaud’s willingness to push the boundaries of materiality throughout our collaboration and during the whole creative process for ‘Ring - Chain’ has resulted in an outcome that has exceeded our expectations.”

UAP worked closely with Lapierre and played a crucial role in the design development and manufacturing process: this collaboration enabled the artist to introduce polished stainless steel as a completely new material into his work.

Artist Arnaud Lapierre said: “Ring - Chain is a simple but strong installation. The repetition of a cubic mirrors modifies the perception of the place and allows visitors to experience new ways of looking at the space that surrounds them. The facets of each cube reflect the environment and reconstruct an abstract paradigm that breaks our everyday perception. This is a special moment of rediscovery.

“I feel very honoured to have a produced a permanent artwork for China, a great country with a rich heritage and a strong interest in contemporary arts and culture.”

Winner of the prestigious Audi Talents Award in 2011, Lapierre is involved in several multidisciplinary projects as well as private commissions for the hospitality and retail sectors.

UAP collaborates with artists from around the world to fabricate and deliver ambitions, large scale projects for the public realm. Most recently in China, UAP and Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman created the Kraken, a giant octopus playscape in a seaside mixed-use development in Yantian, Shenzhen.