Kick the Gong Around

Over the past week I have spent time navigating Shanghai city and spending time with my friend Max, also from New Zealand, who moved here 2 years ago to gain experience living abroad. I have also been introduced to the large expat community in Shanghai, and have been amazed at some of the entrepreneurial things that is feasible here. Max himself has recently started up a catering company, Spoon Collective, who offer bespoke event catering. This is something he has always been passionate about and he was given an opportunity that seems like a rarity only Shanghai can offer. There are many expats doing the same thing, which was evident at the Kick the Gong Around Winter Festival, which hosted workshops, stalls, performances and talks from creatives and entrepreneurs living in Shanghai.

That weekend we also went to the Gucci Exhibition: No Longer/Not Yet at Minsheng Art Museum Shanghai. The exhibition displayed artwork from seven artists who were invited to create work on the subject of the ‘contemporary’, a term that is essential to the fashion industry — understanding and representing it is fashion’s Holy Grail.

One thing that interested me was the incredible sculptures and artworks in the space surrounding the museum. The space seemed to host a wide range of creative studios, including photography and sculpture studios, design stores and cafes. Such an innovative and inspiring area highlights to me of what a diverse place China is and how innovative and rapidly the creative arts are growing here in both the underground and mainstream.