Weekend Fun | Light art season, exhibitions and concerts

Shenzhen Light Art Season

Running through March 3, the Shenzhen Light Art Season transforms the city after dark with installations that blend light technology and kinetic aesthetics. With three main venues — central Futian, Houhai (Nanshan), and OCT Harbor (Bao’an) — the festival extends to 33 public spaces, commercial districts, and scenic spots across the city, injecting nights with energy and creativity.

A tree with lights in Lianhua Hill Park. Lin Songtao

Dates: Through March 3

Multi-sensory art exhibition

“Lair: Relics for the Future,” by Icelandic artist Sruli Recht and presented by Orenda Art, brings Recht’s “Alternative Creatures” lineage to Asia in full for the first time, presenting nearly 70 works that distill decades of his thinking. The nearly 1,000-square-meter show is arranged into 11 linked zones. Following a tightly controlled narrative route, the curatorial team weaves objects, space, scent and sound into a continuous, tension-filled experience that moves beyond conventional display.

Photos from the event organizers unless otherwise stated

Dates: Through March 3

Venue: L1, Sea World Culture and Arts Center, Nanshan District (南山区海上世界文化艺术中心1层)

Metro: Line 2 or 12 to Sea World Station (海上世界站), Exit A

‘Martin Parr: Short & Sweet’

For those interested in documentary photography, the “Martin Parr: Short & Sweet” exhibition at MixC Shenzhen Bay is a must-see. Showcasing nearly 400 works spanning more than five decades, it offers a comprehensive retrospective of the British documentary photographer’s career.

Photo by Lin Songtao

Dates: Through Feb. 28

Venue: The WAVE, Zone B, MixC Shenzhen Bay, Nanshan District (南山区深圳湾万象城Zone B, The WAVE)

Metro: Line 2, 11 or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit L

‘The Pet Show’

The inaugural presentation in South China and the seventh leg of its world tour, “The Pet Show” features roughly 150 pieces of works by 24 renowned photographers from 12 countries, capturing countless adorable moments of our furry companions.

Photo by Lin Songtao

Dates: Until Feb. 28

Venue: K11 HACC (Hybrid Art and Cultural Center), Taizi Bay, Shekou, Nanshan District (南山区蛇口太子湾K11 HACC文化空间)

Metro: Line 12 to Taiziwan Station (太子湾站), Exit B

Chinese surrealist art

Curated by art historian Lyu Peng, the exhibition spans works from the 1980s to the present, tracing Chinese artists’ evolving experiments in painterly language. From an art history perspective, it reviews four decades of Chinese surrealist painting while offering a glimpse into the diversity and complexity of contemporary Chinese society.

Photo by Lin Songtao

Dates: Through March 1

Venue: Shenzhen Museum of Contemporary Art and Urban Planning, Futian District (深圳市当代艺术与城市规划馆)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宫站), Exit A2

Master painter reinvents zodiac merch

Chen Xiangbo, a pupil of Guan Shanyue, the late master of the Lingnan School of ink painting, is celebrated for his gongbi-style flower-and-bird paintings, charming Chinese zodiac-themed creations, and innovative practices that bridge traditional Chinese culture with contemporary expression. An exhibition presenting Chen’s representative works is beckoning visitors at the Guangming Culture and Arts Center, offering insight into the artistic evolution of this prominent Shenzhen-based contemporary artist.

Dates: Until March 3

Venue: Hall C, 5/F, Fine Art Museum, Guangming Culture and Arts Center, Guangming District (光明区光明文化艺术中心美术馆5楼C展厅)

Metro: Line 6 to Fenghuang Town Station (凤凰城站), Exit B

‘The Carnival of the Animals’

The New World Chamber Players, a U.S.-founded chamber ensemble established in 2017, will lead listeners on a carnival-like journey from East to West with a program of animal-themed pieces.

Time: 8 p.m., Feb. 28

Venue: MixC Theater at MixC World, Nanshan District (南山区万象天地剧场)

Metro: Line 1 to Hi-tech Park Station (高新园站), Exit A

Festive concert

In celebration of the Lantern Festival, the Shenzhen Grand Theater Philharmonic Orchestra will present an evening of music showcasing mainly popular Chinese songs.

Time: 3 p.m., March 1

Venue: Shenzhen Grand Theater, Luohu District (深圳大剧院)

Metro: Line 1 or 2 to Grand Theater Station (大剧院站), Exit B