It’s hard to keep up with the Chinese art scene. People from all over the world have recently become fascinated with art in China, as is evidenced through museum exhibitions and popular films, such as the documentary “Ai Wei Wei: Never Sorry”. New auction records are continuously set on antique, modern and contemporary Chinese art. Even Art Toronto’s theme this year is Focus Asia. But over the past month, there has been even more reason to pay attention to China’s dynamic art scene.

Expectations were high leading up to the October 1 National Day holiday in China as the art world prepared for the opening of two major institutions in Shanghai. The China Art Palace, housed in the former 2010 World Expo China Pavilion, and the Shanghai Contemporary Art Museum, in a former thermal power plant that was the site of the “Pavilion of the Future” are two important art centres that will help shape the cultural landscape in China.

This expansion came at the right time because, after visiting the Shanghai Art Museum last month, it was apparent that the building needed a facelift. Last year, officials announced that the China Pavilion would become the new site of the Shanghai Art Museum and, rebranded as the China Art Palace, house the world’s largest collection of modern Chinese art, as well as rotating collections from international museums.

Here are a few photographs taken from inside and around the Shanghai Art Museum from my trip a couple weeks ago. I cannot wait to go back to see the changing cultural landscape.

for more information about the China Art Palace and Power Station of Art click here.