8 October – 27 November, Illusions of Rural Gravity Eight Thoughts of Chinese Rural Development

We will be continuing our 2015 public program with the upcoming exhibition “Illusions of Rural Gravity: Eight Thoughts of Chinese Rural Development”, which is also part of “2015 Shanghai Urban Space Art Season”.

The show is based on a studio led by Prof. Nasrine Seraji and Prof. Weijen Wang, providing a comprehensive graphic documentation and analysis of three sites in Zhejiang Province: Tango, Jieshou Village and Songyang County.

A young Mayor prefers to ask students of architecture to think about his territory rather than leaving it to professionals. Weijen Wang, head and professor of architecture, Nasrine Seraji, dean ENSAPM, PARIS centennial visiting professor of architecture HKU were accompanied by 12 students and demonstrator; Victor Leung on a trip in the Zhejiang province. It was February, the most festive and difficult period of the year for Chinese Cities, exciting and busy, domestic, touristic as well as global, private but very public. We learned that there is no easy answer to the question of the disappearance of villages and rural life in China.

Students proposed a large variety of ways to rethink development. Some students used the idea of pedagogy as a way to draw attention to the territory (TBiennale) or challenging architecture and economy through the description/drawing of the local history. Other students propose to use local plantations such as Bamboo to reinvigorate the local economy (Bamboo faster than Urbanisation). Another duo proposes to work with a collective of villages, introducing a regional infrastructure to help schooling and agricultural learning. Another duo attempts to redefine the future of the city centre through an extra large block (Villagecity). A critical view on the future of villages through tourism proposes a roller coaster as a new utopia.

Research Team: Nasrine Seraji (Centennial Visiting Professor), Weijen Wang(Professor), Victor Leung(Demonstrator), Patrick Chan, Linhu Chen, Eva Herunter, Hardy Ho, Keith Hui, Maggie Hui, Xiaodi Li , Anthony Lin, Michelle Lo, Shengzhi Luo , Shane Wan, Kumiko Xu

Opening Ceremony:
Thursday, 8 October

Opening Hours:
Daily, 8am – 8pm

Venue:
HKU/Shanghai Study Centre
298 North Suzhou Rd (close to North Sichuan Rd)
Hongkou District, Shanghai
Subway Line 10, Tiantong Rd