A glowing sanctum for Southern Chinese art
Founded by the He family and opened in 2020, the He Art Museum (HEM) in Shunde, Guangdong, is South China’s largest private museum. Designed by the renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando, the museum spans 16,000 square meters and integrates various natural elements into its harmony-focused design, including light, water and wind, as well as traditional aspects of Lingnan architectural culture. The museum’s spiral-shaped pavilion reimagines the conventional Western “white box” gallery and its striking exposed concrete double helix staircase serves as the museum’s dramatic centerpiece, inviting light into the central atrium. HEM features a distinguished collection of Chinese modern and contemporary art, as well as global contemporary art, and is especially focused on supporting the art and culture from its region and local community, notably the Lingnan School of art. It mounts exhibitions based on its permanent collection, as well as works by international artists, in addition to research and education programs.
Photo: Installation view of "Portrait: Zhang Enli," 2023, at He Art Museum.