Exhibition programmes and highlights

Gallery Weekend Beijing 2023: The seventh edition of GWBJ will be held from May 25 to June 4, 2023 in collaboration with 40 domestic and international exhibitors under the annual theme of “Visibility”

As the core of GWBJ, the Main Sector features a selection of local galleries and non-profit art institutions based in Beijing, dedicated to creating a city-wide contemporary art event. The seventh edition will take the 798 Art District as its central base, radiating to Caochangdi Art District, Shunyi, Guomao and other parts of Beijing, presenting a total of 21 local galleries and five non-profit institutions. Within the list, Lisson Gallery, SIMULACRA, Whitestone Gallery and Macalline Art Center are first-time participants, while INK studio, SHIXIANG SPACE, WHITE SPACE and Espace Louis Vuitton Beijing will return to this year’s event. 

In 2023, the Main Sector has also been enriched with Main Sector Special Programme and Main Sector Special Exhibitions. A26 Space will present Li Nu’s solo project. The Special Exhibitions are composed of Wang Yan: Far and Near, Now and Then at SHIXIANG SPACE and Ouyang Chun’s Road to Heaven solo exhibitions at WHITE SPACE.

In 2023, the Visiting Sector will continue the main theme of “City”, introducing the strongest line-up of 13 domestic and international galleries, and covering nine important cities in the global contemporary art landscape, including Berlin, Chengdu, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Taipei. This year, approximately double the number of exhibitors compared to the previous years’ will participate in the GWBJ’s Visiting Sector for the first time.

In addition, this year’s Up&Coming Sector and Public Sector will invite artist Pu Yingwei and curator Leo Li Chen respectively to introduce the unique academic perspectives and meet the audience with new innovative projects.

“After three years of waiting, how will the domestic art industry once again connect with the international art community? Will cultural exchange be restored to its former glory? These are the questions that need to be answered. The seventh edition of GWBJ hopes to address the situation with its long-standing principle of promoting deep local roots and broad international dialogue. We will present an unprecedented series of over forty exhibitions by representative artists from home and abroad, along with a wide range of social events at the end of May. The Main Sector will present to the world the accumulated achievements of of Beijing’s local galleries and non-profit institutions. The Visiting Sector will gather 13 professional galleries from different cities around the world for the first time to present the latest works of their artists. Besides, the Up&Coming Sector and the Public Sector will bring in new projects under the curator’s unique academic perspectives. We look forward to the celebration of contemporary art in Beijing this late May!” —Amber Yifei Wang, Director of Gallery Weekend Beijing

About GWBJ
Founded in 2017, Gallery Weekend Beijing (GWBJ) aims to build a forward-thinking, professional, international platform for conversations about contemporary art. GWBJ opens every spring with a series of art events centered around a curated selection of new exhibitions from galleries and non-profit institutions across Beijing. The nine-day art event includes an opening ceremony, media-guided tours, VIP-guided tours, academic forums, performances, artist studio visits, private collection visits, parties, and the annual dinner. The three-day-long VIP Days feature important domestic and international museum directors, collectors, art critics, and media. Art professionals and collectors can discuss and share knowledge through a series of academic activities. The six-day-long Public Days aim to provide the public with the opportunity to learn more about art and provide Beijing residents with an insightful guide to art exhibitions in their own city.

Key dates
Media preview: Thursday, May 25, 2023
VIP preview: Friday-Sunday, May 26–28, 2023
Public days: Tuesday–Sunday, May 30–June 4, 2023