GALLERY WEEKEND BEIJING || Immersive Installations Redefine Art Experiences in China’s Capital
Beijing, long recognized as China's cultural heart, is stepping boldly into a new era.
Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ), returning for its ninth edition, taking place from May 23rd to June 1st, exemplifies the city's ambition, launching the inaugural "Beijing Art Season" to fortify its position as a global contemporary art powerhouse. Anchored in the vibrant 798·751 Art District, GWBJ spans iconic locales from Caochangdi to the Central Business District, amplifying Beijing’s unique dialogue with art lovers around the world.
This year, GWBJ shifts towards an invitation-only curatorial model, emphasizing artistic quality, intellectual depth, and creative originality. Tian Yuan, founder of WHITE SPACE and part of the selection committee, shared, "I value galleries that are forward-thinking…those that discover emerging artists, support their professional growth, and champion experimental projects." Such careful selection ensures the event's enduring reputation for excellence and innovation.
Among the standout exhibitions is Korean-American artist Anicka Yi’s solo showcase at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, titled There Exists Another Evolution, But In This One. Yi’s mesmerizing "Kelp Pod" sculptures—crafted from organic kelp, aquazol, and animated with mechanical insects—embody her vision of “biologizing the machine.” Her work thoughtfully blurs lines between the natural and artificial worlds, provoking reflections on humanity’s ecological future. As Yi eloquently expresses, "I've been deeply inspired by the ‘kelp highway’…a reminder that intelligence and agency exist far beyond what we usually notice or understand as humans."
Anicka Yi’s luminous "Kelp Pods" blur boundaries between biology and technology at UCCA Center for Contemporary Art. (Photo by Sun Shi)
Philip Beesley’s breathtaking installation, Constellation, at the 798CUBE, further enriches this immersive experience. Featuring intricate membranes and glowing protocell vessels, this artwork conjures ethereal, lace-like clouds hovering gracefully, embodying Beesley’s contemplation of life as continually arising and evolving. Beesley notes, "The hovering, oscillating membranes that are gathering in Constellation speak of worlds arising, of a kind of fertility that allows us to be open, instead of closed."
Philip Beesley’s "Constellation" installation creates delicate, floating landscapes at 798CUBE. (Photo courtesy of 798CUBE)
This immersive approach is echoed in the "Art Store," an innovative project transforming industrial containers into multifunctional spaces that blend exhibition, retail, and social engagement. Positioned throughout the 798·751 Art District, this initiative seeks to democratize art collection, engaging a broader audience in meaningful encounters with contemporary creativity.
MACA Art Center presents groundbreaking solo exhibitions that explore cultural dialogues and personal histories. (Photo by Lin Banye)
Beyond Beijing’s boundaries, collaboration with regional art spaces like the Aranya Art Center in Qinhuangdao showcases the city’s intent to foster deeper cultural conversations across China and internationally. GWBJ 2025 thus embodies an expansive vision—bridging local narratives with global dialogues, cultivating artistic integrity, and pioneering creative experiences that redefine contemporary art.
Tang Contemporary Art’s exhibition, "A Thousand Waystations," invites reflective journeys through contemporary creativity. (Courtesy Tang Contemporary Art)
In its thoughtful curation and immersive exhibition formats, Gallery Weekend Beijing exemplifies a comforting and hopeful reminder of the transformative power of art. It is a mindful escape into innovation, creativity, and ecological consciousness, reassuring visitors of the beauty that thoughtful artistry can offer in uncertain times.
Li Shurui’s vibrant exploration of form and void at WHITE SPACE. (Courtesy WHITE SPACE)
Cover photo courtesy of Gallery Weekend Beijing
