Architect to head Pingshan Art Museum

Liu Xiaodu (R), a famous architect and curator in Shenzhen, received a certificate of appointment from Tao Yongxin (L), Party chief of Pingshan District.

Liu Xiaodu, a famous architect and curator in Shenzhen, received a certificate of appointment from Tao Yongxin, Party chief of Pingshan District, on Thursday morning to assume the role of director of Pingshan Art Museum.

Liu is a co-founder of Urbanus, one of the most influential architecture practices in China. He was also the chief curator for the 2017 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism/Architecture. Liu earned the appointment through a nine-month nationwide selection process.

According to Wu Jun, director of the Publicity Department of Pingshan District Committee of the CPC, Liu is the right person to head the art museum as he is familiar with Pingshan District’s development vision. He and another curator, Li Zhenhua, curated the 2019 Shenzhen (Pingshan) International Sculpture Exhibition earlier this year.

During the appointment ceremony Thursday, Liu pledged to lead a diligent team to make Pingshan Art Museum a high-end artistic gathering spot for influential artists from China and other countries to exhibit their works.

“The art museum is located at an area that is undergoing upgrades, and I believe that it will help this area become a very livable community by generating a cohesive force between residents through culture and art,” said Liu at a salon focusing on the art museum’s future development.

The Pingshan Art Museum was officially unveiled to the public in April this year with an “unknown city”-themed debut exhibition that highlighted Chinese contemporary architecture and explored the future of urban planning.

Designed by famous Chinese architect Dong Gong and covering a total floor area of 9,900 square meters on six floors, the museum stands just beside Pingshan Library, which was opened to the public March 23.

In addition to the exhibition halls, the art museum also provides visitors with delicately landscaped outdoor gardens and a spacious coffee shop. The art museum is expected to become a cultural landmark of Pingshan District.