Art Alert: 7 Exhibits Blowing Minds This Season

Fotografska Shanghai presents Wild at Heart, a solo exhibition by renowned Southeast Asian photographer Wawi Navarroza. Known for her bold self-portraits and intricate visual symbolism, Navarroza explores themes of female identity, cultural fusion, and the power of photography. Her vibrant works challenge traditional notions of femininity and offer a unique lens on regional culture.

Fotografska Shanghai has teamed up with Magnum Photos to present Short & Sweet, the first solo exhibition in China by legendary British photographer Martin Parr. Opening March 14, the exhibition features nearly 400 works from across his 50-year career, showcasing 11 of his most iconic series. Parr's satirical and sharp-eyed take on social realities offers a fascinating, humorous reflection on everyday life.

East Village legend Kenny Scharf invades MAM Shanghai with his psychedelic playground, transforming the museum into a fluorescent fever dream where street art collides with pop surrealism. Don’t miss this chance to witness the godfather of 80s underground culture reboot his cosmic universe – trash-turned-treasures included.

Huang Heshan’s Too Rich City: The Old White Swan Passenger hits Fotografiska Shanghai on May 9, taking you on a trippy digital journey through a cyber-hometown where absurdity meets reality. Hop aboard the "Old White Swan" for a surreal ride through lost memories and urban myths—code, art, and nostalgia collide in this mind-bending exhibition.

Step into a VR reimagining of Madrid’s Prado Museum, where masterpieces like Las Meninas and The Garden of Earthly Delights come alive. A quirky night-guard narrator leads the adventure—part art history, part immersive theater—with cutting-edge tech. Perfect for culture nerds and Instagram explorers alike.

Blockbuster alert. MAP is hosting a major exhibition featuring over 100 original works by Monet, Van Gogh, Cézanne, Gauguin, Degas, and more, many of which are on view in China for the first time. This is the only stop worldwide, with exhibition design inspired by the interiors of the Orsay itself. 

Fotografiska Shanghai presents "Geomancy: Images, Fieldwork, and the Poetics of Geography", a group exhibition exploring how 20 contemporary artists reinterpret land, ecology, and geopolitics through lens-based practices. Curated by He Yining with Guangdong Times Museum, it’s a visually striking dive into China’s evolving relationship with territory—equal parts documentary and poetic.

Marking what would have been the 80th birthday of one of China’s most celebrated visual artists, Chen Yifei: A Retrospective on Art and Legacy at the Museum of Art Pudong offers the most comprehensive look at his work to date. Featuring over 150 pieces—including iconic oil paintings, sculpture, film excerpts, manuscripts, and archival materials—the exhibition traces Chen’s artistic journey from early revolutionary works like Occupying the Presidential Palace and Yellow River Cantata, to his romanticized Water Towns and elegant Musician and Ladies series. It also spotlights his interdisciplinary impact across film, fashion, publishing, and public art. Divided into four chapters and running until October 12, this landmark show reflects the depth of Chen’s legacy as a pioneer of “grand visual art” and as a cultural figure who helped shape the visual language of contemporary China.