All exhibitions

On Sharks & Humanity

May 29 - June 28

Rating: 18+

On Sharks & Humanity Brings Us Eye To Eye With Sharks - Parkview Arts Action contemporary art exhibition to open at the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation in Moscow on 29 May 2015

Beijing, China (26 March 2015) - Today, Parkview Arts Action, an arts organisation founded by the Parkview Group, announces that On Sharks & Humanity will be exhibited at the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation in Moscow from 29 May 2015. The first exhibition in Parkview Arts Action programme of biannual touring exhibitions features works by Chinese and international contemporary artists and promotes awareness of shark conservation issues.

On Sharks & Humanity was created by Parkview Arts Action in collaboration with its international musuem and art galleries and the international non-profit organisation WildAid. It was previously exhibited at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco from June 2014 to March 2015 and attracted close to 500,000 visitors in nine months. After the second international showing in Moscow, the exhibition will come back to Beijing at the National Museum of China, where it will exhibit from 20 August to 20 September 2015.

For the second leg of the exhibition's tour, On Sharks & Humanity will bring together works by twenty contemporary artists spanning China, Russia, Monaco and the USA. Through interdisciplinary art mediums, including installation, painting, sculpture, video, photography, poetry and documentary films, they will collectively explore our charged relationship with this important player in the marine world. The exhibition challenges prevailing prejudices surrounding the sharks and showcases the importance of shark conservation and the crucial role they play in the marine eco system. It also aims to raise awareness of the negative impact of unsustainable fishing on the environment.

Parkview Arts Action is founded on the belief that artists can play a significant role in instigating societal change. George Wong, Parkview Arts Action Founder and Hong Kong Parkview Group Executive Chairman stated:
"This is a serious environmental issue that affects us all. Shark preservation is undoubtedly critical. Declining shark numbers pose a fundamental threat to the health of the world's oceans. Through the support of these talented contemporary artists, On Sharks & Humanity can inform and confront audiences in ways that strike more directly into the human psyche than the more abstract language of scientific debate."

Vladimir and Ekaterina Semenikhin, the founders of the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation, said
"On Sharks & Humanity is the Foundation's first exhibition that will feature works by contemporary Chinese artists. It has been prepared in partnership with Parkview Arts Action, an organisation that promotes the conservation and protection of the environment through its art exhibitions. On Sharks & Humanity has recently toured in Monaco with much success and the Ekaterina Cultural Foundation now has the pleasure of hosting it in its exhibition space in Moscow. We hope that the exhibition will introduce the Russian public to the current trends in contemporary Chinese art and also draw the public's attention to the problems of environmental sustainability."

On Sharks & Humanity is supported by the leading international non-profit organisation WildAid, whose mission is to end illegal wildlife trade and reduce the demand for wildlife products, such as shark fin. WildAid works to measurably raise awareness and concern about the impact of the consumption of shark fin soup on shark populations and marine biodiversity. Through its public awareness campaign "Say No to Shark Fin" featuring prominent global celebrities and personalities and in combination with Chinese government bans at official events, WildAid has contributed to a reported 50% decrease in China's shark fin consumption. "This exhibit is a needed action to inform viewers about the shark fin trade, which threatens some species of sharks by driving overfishing" said Peter Knights, WildAid's Executive Director. "The only long term solution is to reduce the demand. By providing an outlet for China's respected public personalities, such as Yao Ming and Jackie Chan, business leaders and the government can change what is socially acceptable."