Over the past six months, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai has used photography as a medium to initiate in-depth exchanges across different cities and spaces—from a curated walk through London, to the public nature of street art; from the on-the-ground practice of artist residencies, to academic discussions on photo collecting. Each encounter has been an attempt to draw closer to the core of lens-based art.
October · London | A Walk and Dialogue in the City of Photography
Last October, as autumn reached its peak, London welcomed the inaugural “London Photography Art Walk,” curated by PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai. Collectors and art enthusiasts embarked on this journey across thousands of miles, visiting the city’s most iconic art institutions and photography spaces over two days—from the National Portrait Gallery and The Photographers’ Gallery, to Flowers Gallery, Atlas Gallery, and Saatchi Yates.
The highlight of the trip was an intimate dinner at the private residence of Hadrien de Montferrand, founder of HdM Gallery and a renowned collector, where guests engaged in lively conversations about collecting philosophies and London’s creative ecosystem. Guided by Lisa Springer, Curator of the V&A Photography Centre, the group explored the museum’s photography collection in depth; at White Cube, Andreas Gursky’s latest works were unveiled through a professional walkthrough.
This city-as-exhibition-hall journey extended the dialogue on photography from gallery walls to the streets, private homes, and studios illuminated at night.
November · Shanghai | JR in Conversation: From the Street to the Screen
On November 12, 2025, on the occasion of French artist JR’s solo exhibition “Les Expériences de la Vie” at Perrotin Shanghai, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai invited JR for a conversation with Cao Dan, President of the Art Platform of Supermedia Group.
Centered on the theme “From the Street to the Screen: Public Art as a Medium for Social Dialogue,” JR shared his creative trajectory from pasting portraits on the streets of Paris to the global “Inside Out” project. His emphasis that “art is no longer what I do, but what we accomplish together” offered insight into how an artist who uses public space as his canvas engages with society and connects people through images.
January · Singapore | DECK x Shi Yangkun: Artistic Dialogue and Residency Visit—The Shift in Visual Narrative
On January 24, 2026, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai, in collaboration with ArtReview and Singapore’s DECK Photography Art Centre, presented a “Brunch Conversation” event. Taking the residency project of young artist Shi Yangkun at DECK as a starting point, the gathering facilitated an in-depth discussion on the contemporary expressions of image-based art media.
Participants not only conversed with the artist but also enjoyed an exclusive visit to the residency space, observing works in progress and exchanging ideas with multiple international artists-in-residence. This relaxed yet profound event bridged the distance between audiences and the creative process, marking a meaningful cross-border collaboration between PHOTOFAIRS and a Southeast Asian art institution.
February · Shanghai | Photography Collecting Lecture: From Straight Photography to Conceptual Photography
On February 8, 2026, PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai hosted a photography collecting lecture at ZiWU. Veteran collector Wang Jing and seasoned gallerist Gui Li engaged in a deep-sharing session on the theme “Photography Collecting: From Straight Photography to Conceptual Photography.” Covering the evolution of photographic art, practical collecting techniques, and frameworks for value assessment, the lecture unpacked the essential know-how of photography collecting with substantive content.
Four events, four modes of dialogue, together trace the expanding trajectory of PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai over the past half year. From the public practice of artists to the on-site explorations of emerging creators, and from the professional structuring of collecting systems—each encounter has been a step toward cultivating the photography ecosystem.
Thank you to every participant. From May 7–10, 2026, the 11th edition of PHOTOFAIRS Shanghai will return to the Shanghai Exhibition Center. We look forward to reuniting with you.
