CultureLabel

Although ‘innovative environment for creative encounters’ might sound like the description of a swingers club for the highly flexible, it’s actually the description of a striking ‘living’ project at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Shanghai where the exhibition space extends into the museum restaurant/ café.

The mission behind the project is innovation and boundary-pushing programming that will keep visitors coming back. As exhibition coordinator Diana Freundl explains; “museums can no longer just wait for people to come in – we have to go out and get them.”

With this in mind, they have transformed the third floor of MoCA through contemporary artworks, design, inspired cuisine, performance, talks and lectures. After just one year of existence it has established itself as a cultural hub in vibrant, contemporary Shanghai.

While some of the revenue generated goes into paying the museum’s overheads, it has also provided the opportunity for cross over with the cultural sections of consulates. With Art Lab’s support, these organisations now have a fresh platform on which to help encourage more experimentation within the city’s cultural life.