Harmonious vision for Chinese contemporary art
Beijing’s privately owned Song Art Museum was opened in 2017 by the businessman, film producer and art collector Wang Zhongjun. It presents his collection and also provides a new platform for the research and creation of art. Housed in a former Victorian villa, the building was renovated by Vermilion Zhou Design Group to be eco-friendly and minimalistic, and it stands as a gleaming white sanctuary amid a serene, verdant landscape. The name “Song” comes from the Chinese word for pine trees — a cultural symbol of longevity, immaculacy and peace — and there are 199 pine trees meticulously trimmed and planted throughout the courtyard. The museum’s 12 exhibition halls are spread over 22,000 square meters and hold 80 works from Wang’s diverse and carefully curated collection. Distinguished for both Chinese and international art, the museum features historic paintings dating from the late Ming dynasty and early Qing dynasty to modern works by Vincent van Gogh and Amedeo Modigliani, though its focus and strength is on Chinese contemporary art, especially from the 1980s and 1990s.
Photo: courtesy of Song Art Museum; © Zhi Xia
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