The Journey of World-Class Treasure to China

24 December 2021

On December 17th, the Bund One Art Museum, together with the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai, the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai and the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce (CICC), held "The Journey of World-Class Treasure to China", an event designed to promote Italian excellence in art and further forge cross-industry collaborations between art and business. On the eve of the China-Italy Year of Culture and Tourism, this event reaffirmed the central role played by art in cultural exchanges between the two countries. More than fifty guests and thirty Italian brands attended the event.

The event began with the opening remarks from Mr Rocco Carlo Genchi, the Acting Consul General of Italy in Shanghai. "The idea of Made in Italy is comprised of both material and immaterial heritage," said Mr Genchi.

"In a time of major global challenges, it is clear that we have to rethink the world as an indivisible global community, [...] and we should start from fostering trust and mutual understanding. I believe culture to be the main bridge that can help achieve this."

Then Mr Francesco D'Arelli, Director of Italian Cultural Institute in Shanghai, gave his welcome speech:

The five-year program of exhibitions of masterpieces from the Uffizi Galleries is Italy's exclusive showcase of culture, art, the museum system and tourism in the most vibrant city in eastern China. A further tangible sign of the fascination exercised by Italian art on the Chinese public, as well as of the ancient and deep friendship between Italy and China.

The CICC Chairman Mr Paolo Bazzoni underlined the added value generated by the encounter between art and Italian brands.

"Art and business represent a virtuous combination generated by the contamination between two fundamental parts of Made in Italy that can support each other. Art and culture must also be enhanced through new channels. Their encounter with Italian brands is undoubtedly one of them. It is essential to enhance the added value that a symbiosis between two realities like these can generate. We thank the partner Bund One Art Museum with whom the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce will certainly launch other initiatives aimed at enhancing the brand positioning of our Italian companies in China."

"We will collaborate with Uffizi Gallery for ten exhibitions in the future," said Mr Xie Dingwei, Director of Bund One Art Museum, who then stressed:

It is our responsibility to the Chinese audience to introduce them to world-class classic art so that they can appreciate the original Italian masterpieces within the country.

The “Uffizi Trilogy” exhibitions will offer opportunities to the Italian business community, while promoting Italian art and culture. It will be a way to strengthen the "Made in Italy" together.

"Just like the various well-known exhibitions we launched in China in the past ten years, the Uffizi Gallery's top art exhibitions containing many world-class masterpieces with various themes can enhance the depth of cultural exchanges between China and Italy."

Ms Ice Wang, Marketing Director of Bund One Art Museum, presented the objectives of 2022. “It will definitely be the best opportunity for consumer goods brands to forge ideas of cross-industry collaboration.”

Last November the Uffizi Gallery and the Bund One Art Museum in Shanghai signed an agreement: the major masterpieces of the collections will be displayed through the creation of ten exhibitions in five years (2022-2027). The first exhibition is dedicated to “Botticelli and the Renaissance”. About 50 works will be displayed to reveal the magnificence of the art of Sandro Botticelli and some of his well-known students. For the first time, the art collections held by the Uffizi Gallery will be exhibited on such a large scale in China.

This multi-year project is the result of a shared effort supported by the Italian Ministry of Culture, the Embassy of Italy in the People's Republic of China, the Consulate General of Italy in Shanghai and the Italian Cultural Institute of Shanghai, and aimed at constantly promoting the enhancement of the Italian museum system and artistic heritage in the world.

Based in Florence, Italy, the Uffizi Gallery is a prominent art museum, one of the most important Italian museums and the most visited, it is also one of the largest and best known in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance.

On the other hand, the Bund One Art Museum is one of Shanghai's emerging landmarks – founded in 2019, the Bund One Art Museum seeks to promote cultural exchanges between Shanghai and the rest of the world, encourage and foster public interest and appreciation for the arts and engage in art history education.

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