NEW YORK, NY.- The increasing presence of Chinese contemporary art on the world stage became apparent this past weekend in Dubai, where the new group exhibition “Vigour of Style” gave art lovers in the UAE a peek at China’s resurgent art scene. Running through August 25 at the Gallery of Light, Dubai Community Theatre and Art Centre complex, Mall of Emirates, the exhibition was put together by the Beijing Shangyiguanzhi Art Spreading Organization — a group dedicated to expanding the global footprint of Chinese art. With exhibitions of Chinese contemporary art proliferating in recent years, both in China and around the world, it’s perhaps to be expected that the Middle East — with its growing trade and ties with China — should be ripe for more Chinese art shows.

Although visitors shouldn’t expect to see works by any of China’s sought-after “blue-chip” contemporary artists at the “Vigour of Style” exhibition, the pieces on show by Xu Weixin, Tungyan Runan, Tan Ping, Ye Henggui, Zhang Fangbai, Ma Baozhong and Qin Feng are a good introduction.

The spread of Chinese contemporary art to less developed art markets like Dubai reflects the broader global draw of Chinese art and artists. This isn’t only true in places like Dubai, but — reflecting the growing global draw of China’s top artists — in a number of major Western museums and galleries. Last month, a large-scale installation of Xu Bing’s 2001 work “The Living Word” went on display at New York’s Morgan Library & Museum, with crowds watching Xu and his team assemble the piece over the course of a four-day span. But as Jing Daily pointed out as Xu’s installation opened to the public, Xu’s project is far from the only one to take place outside of China over the past year.

• “Shanshui: Poetry Without Sound?”, Works from the Sigg Collection, at the Museum of Art Lucerne

The exhibition Shanshui looks at the relationship Chinese contemporary art has shaped to its own tradition through the lens of the landscape painting. The initially apparent idyll quickly disperses in light to its own history and culture since the first World War.

• “Staging Action: Performance in Photography since 1960″ at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)

Exhibition included works by three Chinese contemporary artists: Ai Weiwei, Rong Rong and Huang Yan.

• “Wang Qingsong: When Worlds Collide” at New York’s International Center of Photography

Exhibition marked Beijing-based photographer’s first U.S. solo show. (See Jing Daily’s exclusive interview of Wang before the opening)

• “Photography from the New China” at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles

Included works by Hai Bo, Wang Qingsong, Rong Rong, Liu Zheng, Song Yongping and more.

• “The Emperor’s Private Paradise – Treasures from the Forbidden City” at the Milwaukee Art Museum

Along with dozens of artifacts from the late Qing Dynasty, show includes a contemporary sculpture by artist Zhan Wang — who also makes an appearance at the Louis Vuitton “Voyages” exhibition currently showing in Beijing.