Beijing Art Summit

The role of contemporary art has increased globally as markets and the role of cultural influence rapidly shift. China’s growth towards new ways of seeing and thinking have given way to massive social media usership and love for new modes of consumption. Art worldwide has become more participatory and enthusiastic. Since 2011 China has become the world’s largest auction art market and artists from all over Asia are studying at art schools in Europe and the US in increasing proportions. Beijing and Shanghai’s contemporary art scenes have blossomed with high quality private museums and art fairs capturing even larger public audiences. As a reflection, the Chinese art market is mirroring China’s new stance on the geopolitical stage by embracing international contemporary art. Equally important is that Chinese collectors have started taking seats as Boards of Trustees of major Western art institutions. Influence, which used to flow one way is now fluid in both directions, East / West and West / East. 

Beijing Art Summit recognizes that an increase in action is also a call for an increase in dialogue. Working for the best possible outcomes, this platform will be for hearty discussions on the range of substantial issues facing contemporary culture—both to exchange ideas, but also to challenge those ideas in different contexts with art professionals from China and the international art community. 

Artistic Director: Colin Siyuan Chinnery
Curator: Mari Spirito
Special Consultant: Hu Xin

Special session: How Art Promotes Urban Development
10:10am–12:30pm, March 22, 798 Art Center

Moderator: Hu Xin, Special Consultant, Beijing Art Summit
Panelists: Bénédicte Alliot, Director, Cité internationale des arts; Chen Dongsheng, Chairman and CEO, Taikang Insurance Group; Dominique de Villepin, Former Prime Minister of France; Emmanuel Tibloux, Director, École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; Wang Yanling, CEO, SevenStar Group; Founder, 798 Art Zone

Public sessions 1: Chinese Art Markets
10:00am–1:15pm, March 22, UCCA

Action and Reaction: Responsive Art Markets
10:00am–11:30am
Moderator: Mark Rappolt, Editor-in-Chief, ArtReview
Panelists: Lu Jie, Founder, Long March Space, Beijing; Liu Gang, Chinese Collector and Lawyer
Mario Cristiani, Co-founder, Galleria Continua

New Tastes, Different Prospects
11:45am–1:15pm
Moderator: Colin Siyuan Chinnery, Artistic Director, Beijing Art Summit
Panelists: Lin Han, Chinese Collector; Co-founder, M WOODS Museum, Beijing; Tang Xin, Director, Taikang Space, Beijing; Gregor Muir, Director, Collection of International Art, Tate Modern, London

Public sessions 2: Art Ecologies
10:00am–1:15pm, March 23, UCCA

High and Mighty: Big Vision and Urban Regeneration
10:00am–11:30am
Moderator: Amy Sherlock, Deputy Editor, Frieze Magazine
Panelist: Wang Yanling, CEO, SevenStar Group; Founder, 798 Art Zone; Alexis Şanal, Architect; Ma Yansong, Founder and Principal, MAD Architects, Beijing

Grassroots: Accessory or Necessity?
11:45am–1:15pm
Moderator: Mari Spirito, Curator, Beijing Art Summit; Founder, Protocinema
Panelists: Peng Xiaoyang, Founder, The Bunker, DRC No. 12 and Tattoo Parlour, Beijing; Anne Ellegood, Chief Curator, Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; Aaron Cezar, Founding Director, Delfina Foundation, London

Public sessions 3: Art & Technology
10:00am–1:15pm, March 24, UCCA

New Aura: Art & The Small Screen
10:00am–11:30am
Moderator: Mari Spirito, Curator, Beijing Art Summit; Founder, Protocinema
Panelists: Karen Archey, Curator, Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Cao Fei, Artist; Prodromos Tsiavos, Head of Digital Development, Onassis Cultural Center, Athens

Front Lines On-Line
11:45am–13:15pm
Moderator: HG Masters, Editor-at-Large, ArtAsiaPacific, Hong Kong
Panelists: John Gerrard, Artist; Rebecca Taylor, Executive Vice President, FITZ & CO, London; Zhang Qinghong, Founder, Chronus Art Center (CAC), Shanghai

Organizer: Beijing SevenStar Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
Exclusive Academic Sponsor: China Europe International Business School
Chief Sponsor: Taikang Insurance Group
Exclusive Partner: Sino-French Art & Culture Research Center
Sponsors: Beijing 798 Art Zone Administrative Committee; China Art Industry Park Alliance