Wallace Chan's Titanium Sculptures Transform Shanghai Museum

In Shanghai, Wallace Chan unveils “Vessels of Other Worlds” at the Long Museum, a monumental exhibition coinciding with a parallel display in Venice. The show marks the artist’s 70th birthday and presents a journey through his unique artistic vision, blending disciplines and cultures.

Curated by James Putnam, the exhibition features massive titanium vessels, reaching up to ten meters tall, that redefine the metal as a living, luminous entity. Chan’s work synthesizes Taoist symbolism with futuristic aesthetics, resembling both ancient relics and spacecraft.

The artist, previously renowned for his innovative gemstone carving technique, transitioned to titanium after a period of Buddhist monastic life, seeking materials that reflect themes of eternity and transformation. The sculptures invite contemplation on the human condition, perception, and the interconnectedness of all things, merging Eastern and Western philosophies. The exhibition aims to highlight art’s ability to acknowledge the fragility of life, even within seemingly eternal materials.