15 October, 2017. Shanghai Urban Space Art Season 2017 (SUSAS 2017) was launched at the silo of 80,000 tons at Minsheng Port and surrounding open spaces. The silo used to be the largest one for bulk grain in Asia, and is now transformed as the main venue for SUSAS. It’s another industrial heritage that carries so many memories of Shanghainese and now functions as a public space after elaborate renovation. SUSAS 2017 is hosted by Shanghai Urban Sculptures Committee, and organized by Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Land Resources, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV, and People’s Government of Pudong New Area. The three-month event is free to all citizens.
In the afternoon of 15 October, 2017, SUSAS 2017 Press Conference, organized by Information Office of Shanghai Municipality, was on air at the Warehouse 257 Auditorium, Minsheng Port. Xu Jian, general engineer of Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Planning and Land Resources, introduced the overall situation of SUSAS 2017; Wu Xiaoming, art director of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV, described the important artists and exhibited items involved. Zhu Di, deputy mayor of Pudong New Area attended the opening. Guan Yetong, director of Pudong New Area Planning and Land Authority, introduced the silo renovation project. Other attenders include Zheng Shiling (president of Academic Committee of SUSAS, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Wu Jiang (primary curator of SUSAS 2017, executive vice president of Tongji University), Fram Kitagawa (internationally renowned public art curator) and other members of Academic Committee, the primary curator team headed by Li Xiangning and Fang Zhenning, and representatives of other exhibitors home and abroad.
The symposiumafter press conference was hosted by Zheng Shiling, and featured three insightful and inspirational reports. Fram Kitagawa discussed Art in Regional Development; Ma Yansongdiscussed his site project in Build Emotions; Alejandro Zaera-Polo talked about Approaching Publicity: Seoul Biennale.
After the event, curators Li Xiangning and Fang Zhenning led a guide tour through the main venue for members of Academic Committee and other guests.
SUSAS 2017 involves more than 200 organizations or individuals on exhibitions from over ten countries (regions) around the world, including planners, architects, designers, artists and curators, offering a myriad collection of forward-looking, experience-oriented and public items. The first day received about three thousand visitors, and a considerable proportion were middle-ages and elders. Some of them were residents of nearby communities, yet even more used to be workers in Minsheng Port.