Stephen Smith

Field of expertise: Shanghai / contemporary art, arts and culture history, Buddhism, Gay Shanghai

Languages: English

Stephen Smith is a fine art advisor based in China who delivers highly professional, educational, and enjoyable tours for discerning visitors to Shanghai. After a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry, he decided to pursue his love of art history and his interest in Chinese culture. Before relocating to Shanghai, he was a docent at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco and a tour guide at the British Museum in London. In China, he was the gallery manager for one of Shanghai’s top contemporary art galleries. Stephen holds an MBA from the Golden Gate University in San Francisco and a MA in East Asian Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London and is an expert in Buddhist and Hindu iconography.

With an in-depth understanding of China's five thousand year history of artistic expression, Stephen has a unique perspective on how Shanghai is reinterpreting its traditions and how art and religion are expressing the dynamic changes taking place in China today.

Here are thre samples of how the tours with Stephen Smith can look like and of course we can also tailor you an itinerary specifically to your needs:

Chinese Contemporary Art / 3 hours

In 2011, sales of abstract works by a single Chinese contemporary artist exceeded US$95 million. As the hottest art scene in the world with record breaking sales, the Chinese contemporary art world is a vibrant and exciting confluence of Western theories and Chinese traditions. This three hour tour is an opportunity to see and discuss the subject matter, techniques, and materials of Chinese contemporary artists by visiting Shanghai’s top galleries and museums. We will begin by discussing the development of the Chinese contemporary art scene and the reinterpretation of Western art concepts. We will then visit museums and galleries to see the key themes explored by artists living through China’s rapidly changing society.

Chinese Buddhism / 3 hours:

Chinese civilization was at the crossroad of Buddhism’s expansion into East Asia. China significantly transformed the Buddhism it received via the Silk Road before transmitting it to Korea and Japan. This three hour tour will explore the evolution of Buddhism, a religion founded in India in the fifth century BCE, as it confronted and adapted to Confucianism and Daoism and adopted aspects of Chinese folk religion. The tour will begin with a brief introduction to the historical Buddha, Buddhist philosophical concepts, and the pantheon of Chinese Buddhist Deities. We will visit Jing An Temple, the Jade Buddha Temple, and the Sculpture Gallery of the Shanghai Museum to see typical Buddhist temple architecture, iconography, and religious practice.

Chinese Art History and Culture / 4 hours:

This four hour tour surveys China’s 5,000 year history. Using the objects at the Shanghai Museum, we will explore aspects of ancestor worship, Chinese Buddhism, the development of Chinese ceramics as a global commodity, and the culture of the gentleman scholar. We will begin with an overview of Chinese history, including key developments of specific dynasties and then look at the oldest objects in the collection, the cast bronze ritual vessels, sculptures, and ceramics. After a brief introduction to the literati tradition of the gentleman scholar, we will visit the Chinese painting, calligraphy, and seal galleries. To understand the diversity of Chinese civilization and its complex interaction with other cultures, we will complete the tour with a visit to the Jade, Currency, Ming and Qing Furniture, and Minorities Nationalities Galleries.

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