SHANGHAI.- The Modern Art Museum Shanghai announced Shai Baitel as its inaugural Artistic Director.

The newly opened state of the art museum located at the heart of Shanghai’s cultural mile along the Huangpu River is a premier institution for contemporary art with a global and multidisciplinary approach.

MAM contributes to the education, knowledge and enjoyment of art through its exhibitions, artistic collaborations, events, and festivals from all over the world.

The expertly renovated and redesigned coal bunker is the largest contemporary art museum in Shanghai, measuring over 7,000 square meters. It sits at the heart of the dynamic MAM Riverbank cultural zone, stretching 1.2 kilometres along the Huangpu River just south of the Pudong Central Business District. MAM Riverbank boasts not only the museum, but an outdoor sculpture park, and fine dining restaurant MESS.

Shai Baitel is a freelance curator and creative director with extensive experience in the fields of arts, culture, and business in the United States and abroad. He starts as the inaugural Artistic Director of the Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai this year, after originating its 2019 exhibition “Bob Dylan: Retrospectrum” as an external curator and advisor to the museum. Dylan’s exhibition - the first retrospective of Bob Dylan’s visual artworks in the world - was the most comprehensive presentation of his creative life of visual art to date, bringing over 150,000 visitors to MAM.

Baitel previously co-founded Mana Contemporary, an innovative cultural centre in New Jersey, with affiliated centres in Miami and Chicago.

As an independent creative director, Baitel has worked on high-profile events, conceiving and realising large-scale productions that incorporate visual content along with choreographed performance art, theatre and film. Baitel has spearheaded collaborations and built partnerships with the likes of Marina Abramović, Richard Serra, Jeff Koons, Bill Viola, Richard Meier, Steven Klein, the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Shen Wei, and Vanessa Beecroft.

At the helm of MAM, Baitel is devoted to delivering a diverse programme that engages Shanghai’s modern and discerning audience of local and international visitors, giving spotlight to not only visual art, but design, architecture, fashion, photography and performance.

Shai Baitel, Artistic Director of MAM, said, “The Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai represents the highest aspirations of a cutting-edge art institution. My vision for MAM isn’t simply to house a collection and present fine art. Instead, MAM is a destination for culturally engaged audiences who can experience exhibitions conceived from their own viewpoint. I look forward to serving the museum’s constituencies and all of Shanghai’s residents and visitors to help grow MAM as a leading institution of contemporary art, design and fashion, that distinguishes itself through providing the audience with an immersive and engaging experience.”

Dr. Zhang Xi, President of MAM Riverbank said, “On behalf of everyone at MAM Riverbank I want to warmly welcome Shai Baitel as Artistic Director of the Museum of Modern Art (MAM) Shanghai. Aligned with our mission, he is a knowledgeable and innovative art professional who will bring a fresh perspective to MAM to attract the next generation of museum visitors."

The first exhibition opening under Shai’s directorship is “Neo Golden Age,” featuring British Neo-Pop artist Philip Colbert and Canadian street artist Trevor Andrew. Running at MAM until 14 March 2021, the exhibition has welcomed over 30,000 visitors since November 2020.

Baitel’s forthcoming programme includes planning for major art presentations of Zaha Hadid and Andy Warhol. Also in development is a DIOR photography exhibition, and From Woodwork to WeChat - Emerging Chinese Artists.