Shanghai Art Week 2025 featured two major art fairs, West Bund Art and Design and Art021 Shanghai, alongside numerous satellite exhibitions and events across the city. The author navigated the sprawling metropolis by public bike, visiting highlights including “Artist’s Treat,” a cluster of 11 exhibitions organized by artist Xu Zhen in a repurposed French school, and Blunt Society, an artist-run space showing works by Ma Lingli and Alex Müller. The week was marked by a cautiously optimistic market mood, with dealers reporting better-than-expected sales and new initiatives like Art021’s SVIP preview for serious collectors.
This edition of Shanghai Art Week was arguably the most vibrant in recent memory, underscoring the resilience and inventiveness of China’s art ecology, particularly through artist-led initiatives. The presence of major international galleries like David Zwirner and Lisson Gallery, alongside collaborations with local institutions such as CC Foundation, signals sustained global interest in the Shanghai market. The week’s success offers a hopeful counterpoint to broader uncertainties in the art world, demonstrating that artist-driven infrastructure and strategic fair programming can energize both local and international audiences.