ICC at the ROM presents a panel discussion on July 29 at 7:30 pm
The Institute for Contemporary Culture (ICC) at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) presents a special panel discussion on large-scale urban development in China’s largest city, titled SHANGHAI: City of the Future? Featuring expert guest speakers Brian Andrew, Mark Kingwell and Jay Pridmore, and moderated by Christopher Hume, the event will take place in the ROM’s Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 7:30 pm, followed by a book signing. The presentation focuses on Shanghai, which in recent decades has experienced a building boom on a scale that is unprecedented in world history and has completely changed its residents’ lifestyle. This program complements the ICC’s current exhibition, Shanghai Kaleidoscope, presented by Manulife Financial, on display until November 2, 2008. Tickets will be on sale at the ROM’s Loblaws south entrance door from 6:00 pm on July 29th. Prices are: General Public $10; ROM Members $8; Friends of the ICC $6.
Panelists Brian Andrew (WZMH Architects), Mark Kingwell (author and University of Toronto professor), and Jay Pridmore (architectural historian, journalist and author), will explore the city’s new architecture and recent growth, in the context of the city’s shifting relationship with the West. The panelists will also discuss the challenges faced by Western architectural firms working with Chinese authorities as Shanghai emerges as an international metropolis. For more information, visit www.rom.on.ca/icc.
Brian Andrew, a Design Principal with Toronto’s WZMH Architects, has been responsible for some of the firm’s most distinctive designs, including the iconic Shanghai Securities Exchange, a project that established WZMH’s presence in the Far East.
Mark Kingwell is a professor of Philosophy at the University of Toronto and contributing editor for Harper’s Magazine. He has contributed to numerous publications and is the author of eleven books on political and cultural theory, including national bestsellers. His most recent volume is Concrete Reveries: Consciousness and the City (Viking Adult, 2008).
Jay Pridmore is an American architectural historian, journalist and author of several books, covering a wide range of material culture subjects. Among his works is Chicago Architecture and Design (2005) and most recently, Shanghai: The Architecture of China’s Great Urban Center (Abrams, 2008).
Moderator Christopher Hume began his career as art critic at the Toronto Star in 1980 and has been nominated for three National Newspaper Awards. Known as a champion of cities and the arts, he appears frequently on radio and television as a commentator on city issues.
About the exhibition
On display until November 2, 2008, Shanghai Kaleidoscope focuses on the key aspects of the city’s vibrant culture: architecture, urban design, contemporary art, cinema and fashion. This ICC-organized exhibition examines the city’s fascinating and quick reconfiguration as a 21st century city through an adventurous mix of video installations, photo-works, designer fashion apparel, runway videos and films by Shanghai's leading contemporary artists and designers. The exhibition provides an insider's view of the city’s high-speed, high-density, high-rise culture, seen from the vantage point of those who are taking part in its astonishing transformation and growth.