When talking about this place, one must mention the Bund Finance Center. The Bund Finance Center is one of Fosun Property’s key projects, located directly opposite the Shiliupu Dock. Designed by the British architectural firm Foster + Partners, it comprises two high-rise office towers, three low-rise office buildings, the renowned Wanda Reign Hotel, supporting commercial facilities, and the Fosun Foundation.
nThe Fosun Foundation is a non-profit organization initiated and funded by Fosun Group and the Fosun Foundation. It is a standalone building with four floors above ground and three basement levels. The first floor houses a café and the entrance; the second and third floors are exhibition halls; and the fourth floor is a rooftop terrace. Jointly designed by Foster + Partners and Heatherwick Studio, the building’s most striking exterior feature is its three-layer golden rotating curtain.
As for the exterior shots of the art center, I only brought a 50mm prime lens… so the field of view was somewhat limited—please bear with the photos…
The total exhibition space of the art center isn’t very large, with only the 2nd and 3rd floors serving as galleries, making it a relatively small museum. When I visited, the exhibition on display was “Compass,” and it happened to be the final day of the show. The official introduction is as follows:
The Fosun Foundation China-Portugal Contemporary Art Exhibition marks the first major exhibition organized since the establishment of the Fosun Foundation and the Fosun Foundation Art Center,framed around the concept oftheBelt and RoadInitiative.This exhibition brings together12contemporary artists from China and Portugal, featuring nearly100worksspanning various media including painting, mixed-media creations, installations, and video art. It representsthe first systematic comparison and academic survey of contemporary art developments in China and Portugal conducted in China.
The exhibition is titledSaudade, a uniquely untranslatable Portuguese wordthat conveys a melancholic longing for a beautiful moment in the past that can never be recaptured; yet often, it also speaks to one’s present circumstances. The Age of Discovery, led by Portugal, ushered in a new era of East-West exchange and initiated the process of globalization centered on trade and cultural interaction. People yearn for identity through communication, seeking the future by tracing history.Meanwhile, the compass—one of ancient China’s Four Great Inventions—symbolizes hope and direction.With the widespread use of the compass in navigation, oceans ceased to be insurmountable barriers, and the Maritime Silk Road gradually supplanted its overland counterpart, heralding the Age of Sail for humanity. Just as the Silk Road originated from mutual attraction between civilizations, Saudade as an emotion and the compass as an object echo each other throughout this exhibition, reflecting humanity’s deep desire for connection and exchange. The Fosun Foundation China-Portugal Contemporary Art Exhibition thus offers a fresh interpretation of cross-cultural dialogue in this new era.
Overall, the quality of the exhibition was average, and it was far less captivating than the architecture itself.
Stairs leading from the 3rd floor to the rooftop terrace:
Views from the terrace:
The terrace can also serve as a venue for events, offering stunning views and seating areas for relaxation. On the terrace sits Counter Sky Garden, an installation artwork created by renowned Japanese artist Tatsuo Miyajima.
A few night shots taken from Char Bar at the Indigo hotel across the street:
Finally, here’s a time-lapse video of the rotating curtain in motion. Starting at 10:00 AM, the curtain rotates for 10 minutes every two hours:
Photos in this post were taken with a SONY A5100 + 50mm f/2.8 lens, post-processed in Lightroom.
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