What Monet’s Masterpieces Are Doing In a Chinese Mall
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From the first step inside Shanghai’s K11 mall, it’s clear the venue has aspirations beyond just selling things. The grand, glassy entrance looks something like the pyramid at Paris’ Louvre.
And the crowds aren’t heading to Burberry, Chloe and Dolce & Gabbana — they’re lining up for the mall’s Monet exhibit, billed as the first on the mainland. (The promotional tie-ins are fun but would horrify art purists: Spend $270 at the mall and pose for free selfies in a retro photo studio with a beret, paintbrush and a puffy white beard like Monet’s.)
In China, smart developers are reinventing the shopping mall, some by showcasing art, others by using spectacular architecture to create soothing, airy hangouts for escaping pollution and hectic urban life. Sophisticated consumers want more than shopping: Besides art, K11 also has free live music, a mini farm (where pigs are sometimes in residence) and workshops on baking — a novelty in a country where few have ovens.
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