Hong Kong & Shanghai

OVERVIEW

Experience the world of contemporary art in Hong Kong and Shanghai, vibrant cities that have historically been the Chinese-speaking world’s face to the West. We begin the tour with five days in Hong Kong, where we enjoy two internationally renowned art fairs: Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central, showcasing pioneering art from the Asia Pacific and beyond.

We then travel to Shanghai, a city that has been remarkably transformed over the past decades to become a thoroughly modern and architecturally playful metropolis. Here we visit a selection of private museums, including the treasure trove of traditional art at the Aurora Museum as well as the contemporary art at Rong Zhai, Prada’s colonial mansion. We also take in a selection of excellent new museums in West Bund, a recently revitalised riverfront district, and enjoy a day trip to Suzhou, whose UNESCO-listed classical Chinese Gardens continue to inspire artists.

The tour is rounded out by select dining experiences that range from fine dining in both cities to an evening food tour of Kowloon, as well as by the expertise and commentary of your tour leader.

TOUR LEADER

Dr Nick Gordon studied history at the University of Sydney, receiving First Class Honours and the University Medal in 2003, and his PhD in 2008. Nick has taught medieval and Renaissance European history at the University of Sydney and the history of political thought at WSU. 

Nick is also an artist, working across painting, collage and photography. His love of travel, art and education led Nick to design art and history-focused tours across Europe, East Asia and Australia, as well as to international art events, including the Venice Biennale and Art Basel in Switzerland and Hong Kong. He has been leading and designing tours for almost 20 years, and is a director of Limelight Arts Travel.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Experience Art Basel in Hong Kong, the Asia Pacific’s premiere art fair, where leading galleries, artists and art lovers from around the world gather

• Discover Art Central in Hong Kong, showcasing the work of pioneering artists from the Asia Pacific

• Get to the heart of contemporary Kowloon at M+, a long-awaited museum of visual culture

• Visit Shanghai’s fantastic private museums, from the cultural treasures of the Aurora Museum to the Prada Foundation’s restored Rong Zhai

• Explore Shanghai’s growing arts district, with a visit to the new museums of a revitalised West Bund

• Take a day trip to Suzhou, renowned for its UNESCO World Heritage-listed classical Chinese gardens