A glimpse of old Shanghai through shikumen paintings

Each city has its unique tone. Architecture, as an epitome of uniqueness, witnesses a city's vicissitudes.

In Shanghai, there is no better architecture than shikumen, or literally "stone gate." It is a cultural blend of elements found in Western and traditional Chinese architecture, nurturing a unique "lane culture" of ordinary people's lives in the past.

Although most locals have already left their old shikumen residences due to fast-paced urban construction, an immersive exhibition featuring a group of shikumen-themed paintings is underway with a nostalgic touch.

The exhibition, which runs from Saturday until October 10 at Guo Ji Art Museum, occupies an 800-square-meter space and includes paintings by famous local artists such as Dai Dunbang and He Youzhi (1922-2016).

As if entering a "time tunnel," visitors will travel back to old Shanghai of the 1920s and 1930s.

A cluster of paintings is creatively framed in the shape of a window on a wall, as if providing visitors with a glimpse of ordinary life from a bygone era through the window.

Shikumen is also a cradle of the Communist Party of China. In July 1921, the First National Congress of the CPC was held inside a shikumen building in Shanghai. 

The exhibition also features historical events and memories mingled with shikumen.

Exhibition info

Dates: June 26-October 10, 10am–6pm

Venue: Guo Ji Art Museum

Address: 3388 Sichen Highway, Songjiang District