SHANGHAI.-The Asian Art Fair announces “Best of Discovery” artists and partnerships with Auction HousesSeptember 6th- 9th the inauguration of ShContemporary creates an important platform for contemporary art, bringing together 121 galleries from all corners of the globe to the historic Shanghai Exhibition Center. ShContemporary will not only present the best galleries from the Asian continent with a carefully selected group of leading Western galleries but offer visitors an opportunity to discover outstanding new artistic scenes and future talents featured in curated sections - “Best of Artists” and “Best of Discovery”.

The new fair created by Bologna Fiere in partnership with Lorenzo Rudolf, Fair Director, and Pierre Huber, Artistic Director, is the necessary and perfect response to the economical and artistic explosion in the Asian continent. A truly international art fair, ShContemporary presents a well balanced overview of the most interesting contemporary art with a very strong focus on Asia; bringing together 121 invited galleries from 25 countries who were selected on the basis of projects and presentations they submitted. American based galleries participating in the fair include: Arndt & Partner, Bodhi, Bose Pacia, James Cohan, CRG, Chambers, Thomas Erben, I-20, Yvon Lambert, Max Lang, Malca Fine Art, Marlborough, Max Protetch, Neuhoff-Edelman, Carolina Nitsch, Parkett, Jack Tilton, and Walsh.

Destined to become one of the top art fairs in the world, ShContemporary serves as the catalyst for exchanges between the Eastern and Western art worlds by supporting and cultivating the interactions of the rising art scenes of Asia with those worldwide. With its special focus on the contemporary creativity in Asia and the curated sector "Best of Discovery", an absolute novelty at an international art fair, ShContemporary offers international collectors and art lovers an unforgettable art experience."The goal is not only to show what is hip and fashionable about Asian art at the moment," says Lorenzo Rudolf, "but also to assign a serious position to Asia, to present interesting new art and artists and to support Asian art and art market scenes at the same time, which can only be realized on site. The goal is to introduce contemporary Asian art and its artists into the global art scene, and to offer collectors the possibility of exciting new discoveries." Pierre Huber, the curator of the special sector "Best of Discovery" travelled throughout Asia visiting artist studio by artist studio. With the assistance of many local artists, curators and collectors, he has put together a photograph and inventory of the extraordinary creation going on in the Asian continent which is experiences both economical and artistic explosive growth. As a result of this research in the field, "Best of Discovery" will present 20 stunning projects by internationally unknown Asian artists representing all generations and trends coming from China, India, Afghanistan, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, Russia, and Taipai. "Our selection is not exhaustive. Rather, it is a bet on the artistic adventure" explains Pierre Huber, "cutting through the wilds to these new artistic landscapes while moving beyond our familiar landmarks and prejudices; gaining an overall understanding of the world along with the humility required for this challenge, in order better to understand other suggestions and ways of thinking; embracing the diversity of the world and its cultures in a place where geographical borders are increasingly accessible." Co-operation with Auction Houses "The art and art market scene has developed and changed a great deal in the past years,"points out Lorenzo Rudolf, ShContemporary Director. "New forms of communication of art have emerged, many of them outside the classical gallery spaces, as well as new mergers which even ten years ago would have been unthinkable; galleries belong to auction houses, collectors run their own museums, artists directly work with auction houses, collectors own auction houses, etc. The segregation between galleries, collectors, auction houses and museums is more and more a relic of the past. Except at international art fairs, which are still holding on to their concepts of the early nineties." Reflecting the developments in the market and the role of an art fair to be the optimal matchmaking platform, ShContemporary will be the first international art fair to integrate auction houses. Artcurial from Paris, Phillips de Pury from London/New York, and two leading Chinese auction houses Jade and Poly will be sponsors of the fair and have a presence in the fair with their own lounges. ShContemporary is organized in cooperation with partners: SICCA (Shanghai International Culture and Communication Association) a non governmental agency affilitated to the Public Communication Departmen tof the Party Committee of the City of Shanghai, Shanghai Art Fair, and Asia Society. Official Media Partner: ArtAsiaPacific Magazine.ShContemporary 6-9 September Opening (by invitation) Wednesday 5th September VIP Days (by invitation only) 6-7 September Public Days 8-9 September Shanghai Exhibition Center (SEC) 1000 Yan'an Zhong Rd. 200040 Shanghai Information: www.shcontemporary.info.