Sneak peek at Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art

The Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art苏州当代美术馆 will fully open to the public on Sunday. Ahead of the opening, let's take a sneak peek inside and explore this new landmark in Suzhou.

If you take a ride on the "Suzhou Eye" Ferris wheel and look down from above, the museum's distinctive architecture immediately catches the eye. Sitting beside Jinji Lake, the museum resembles a classical Chinese garden.

The museum is not a single building — it consists of several blocks linked by ribbon-like roofs. The roofs also form corridors that provide shade and shelter from the sun. As visitors walk through these corridors, views by both sides change constantly. Exploring the museum feels much like strolling through a classical garden.

The extensive use of glass breaks barriers between visitors, the sky, the lake and greenery. Drawing inspiration from the techniques in the design of classical gardens, such as borrowing scenery and water landscaping, the architects created a series of water corridors dotted with water lilies. The effect makes it seem as though the waters of Jinji Lake flow seamlessly into the museum.

Four exhibitions focusing on global art classics, Chinese contemporary art, tech art and architecture, respectively, are now in place for the opening.

The most anticipated is "Picasso and the World of His Influence." One of the highlights is Picasso's Vollard Suite, a set of 100 etchings created between 1930 and 1937. Previously exhibited at the National Museum of China in 2014, the complete series returns to China after 12 years. The exhibition also features more than 30 works by 21 artists and artist groups from nine countries.

"Gèn: A Journey Through Art's Transcendence" takes "Gèn" (eternity) as its theme, reflecting the circle of life on earth. It brings together works by 27 artists and artist groups, including Huang Yongyu, Xu Bing and Zhou Chunya. Several of the exhibits were created specially for the museum.

If you are interested in AI and cutting-edge technology, "Codes & Canopies: Art Beyond the Age of Algorithms" is not to be missed. The exhibition explores four emerging fields, namely AI art, bio art, virtual art and space art, and examines technology's growing role in the real world.

The permanent exhibition "BIG: Materialism" offers a window into the architecture of the museum. Co-curated by the museum and its design team, it reveals the design ideas behind the buildings. After seeing the exhibition, you will gain a new understanding of the museum.

A single ticket, starting at 80 yuan, will give visitors access to all four exhibitions. This Sunday, come and experience Suzhou's newest celebration of art!

Scan the mini-program code to buy tickets

Source: Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art, Suzhou News