The 2025 Art Week Shenzhen kicked off on March 23 at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shekou, a vibrant cultural and commercial hub in Shenzhen.
Visitors pass by Liu Heung Shing's exhibition at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Deng Yingheng)
Now in its second edition, Art Week Shenzhen has grown in scale, featuring 69 local art institutions, including museums, galleries, non-profits, and studios. From March 24 to 30, the city will come alive with nearly 80 exhibitions and over 30 events, including film screenings, salons and others, inviting the public to immerse themselves in Shenzhen's flourishing art scene.
A light projection displays the stylized logo of "Art Week Shenzhen" on a wall at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Deng Yingheng)
This year's lineup features a mix of global and Chinese artists. Highlights include Japanese installation artist Chiharu Shiota, renowned street photographer Daido Moriyama, Hong Kong visual artist Jaffa Lam, and Pulitzer-winning photojournalist Liu Heung Shing.
Art Week Shenzhen Director Zijing emphasized the event's mission to both inspire local artists and encourage participation from international artists. "As a city of migration and innovation, Shenzhen thrives on diversity, and we wish the art week can reflect its inclusive and ever-evolving cultural identity," she said.
For the art week this year, an open studio session is designed for visitors to have a glimpse into the creative process of artists. Another exciting addition is the city walk program, which features 16 curated city walk routes leading participants through Shenzhen's iconic art spaces.
"We want to break down the barriers a bit and make art accessible to more people," Zijing explained. "Art should not be confined to artists and galleries—it should be something that people can engage with."
Hong Kong artist Jaffa Lam has long explored the daily lives of people through her work. Her exhibition for Art Week Shenzhen—"Behind the Blue"—showcases a moon-shaped installation collaboratively crafted with garment workers from Guangdong and Hong Kong. "Art isn't just about technique—it's about perspective and how we see the world around us," Lam said.
The moon-shaped installation work is on display at Jaffa Lam's exhibition at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Sea World Culture and Arts Center)
Shenzhen was established as China's Special Economic Zone in 1980, and now it is often recognized for its technological achievements. While the city is carving out its identity in the art world, the question is, how can art flourish in such a young city?
"How artists express themselves has always been shaped by the technology of their time," said Sun Qijie, General Manager of China Merchants Culture Industry, the organizer of Art Week Shenzhen.
"From rock paintings to today's AI-driven art, technology is transforming art creation. As a hub of innovation, Shenzhen will lead this change, shaping the future of art," Sun believes.
Visitors pass by an Art Week exhibition at the Sea World Culture and Arts Center in Shenzhen, Guangdong, on Sunday, March 23, 2025. (Photo: Deng Yingheng)