'Stay Connected: Art and China since 2008' – A large-scale exhibition at Tai Kwun Contemporary

Lifestyle

2025.09.05 15:00

'Marry Me for Chinese Citizenship by Li Shuang. (Art-mate)

Tai Kwun Contemporary is proud to present "Stay Connected: Art and China since 2008", a groundbreaking two-part exhibition opening on 26 September 2025. As the largest panoramic survey of contemporary art from Greater China and its diaspora outside the mainland, the exhibition offers a critical reflection on the region's societal transformations since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Spanning two thematic chapters—"Navigating the Cloud" and "Supplying the Globe"—the exhibition brings together over 70 artists from Greater China and beyond, whose works engage with China's evolving cultural, technological, and geopolitical landscapes. Through a dual lens of contemporary art and global art history, the show interrogates urgent issues such as digital revolution, environmental crises, labour dynamics, and identity politics, inviting audiences to reconsider China's role in an interconnected world.

Chapter 1: "Navigating the Cloud" (Official)

Chapter 1: "Navigating the Cloud" (26 September 2025 – 4 January 2026)

This section delves into the internet's transformative impact on Chinese society and artistic practice. Exploring how digital platforms have reshaped lifestyles, cultural narratives, and collective values, the works illuminate the paradoxes of connectivity—between virtual liberation and control, innovation and alienation.

Chapter 2: "Supplying the Globe" (Opening February 2026)

Shifting focus to China's position as a global production hub, this chapter examines contemporary intersections of labour, ecology, and social hierarchies. Artists confront the material and human costs of globalisation, offering nuanced perspectives on supply chains, migration, and sustainability.

Public Programs & Publication

Complementing the exhibition, Tai Kwun will host film screenings, curator talks, international symposia, and a collaborative publication with Asia Art Archive, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue.

Exhibition Details