SERPENTINE GALLERY PRESENTS CHINA POWER STATION: PART 1 AT BATTERSEA POWER STATION. A MAJOR EXHIBITION OF CHINESE CONTEMPORARY ART, ARCHITECTURE AND SOUND.

Serpentine Gallery opened Battersea Power Station to the general public for the first time in October 2006 to present China Power Station: Part 1.

The exhibition displayed the best of contemporary Chinese art including visual art, architecture and sound. Highlights were a sound installation by Ou Ning; the premiere of Yang Fudong’s film Seven Intellectuals in Bamboo Forest, Part 3; an experimental film by Jia Zhangke about different public spaces in China; an installation by Gu Dexin using nearly 100,000 apples; and video works by Cao Fei. Two leading architects in China were also included in the exhibition. Yung Ho Chang, who encouraged visitors to look at the building and surrounding space from different angles through ‘viewing frames’, and Ma Quinyun who created a plan of ‘paths’ through the Power Station grounds.

As part of the cultural experience offered by Serpentine Gallery and Battersea Power Station, visitors were able to explore the grounds by bicycle and join an architectural tour of the huge site of one of London’s most iconic landmark buildings. 150 bicycles were available at the site entrance for visitors to tour the site on two wheels. A special teahouse and dim sum restaurant by Yauatcha and an artist’s store by Pi Li and Waling Boers were housed in the pavilion. Entitled UniversalShops, a number of Chinese artists and designers were invited to contribute merchandise including fashion items, toys, T-shirts, shoes, CDs, posters, cartoons and other goods all under £10.00.

Ben Weaver’s cultural brand agency helped Serpentine Gallery to shape the China Power Station experience; created a powerful visual identity with North; developed the marketing and communications campaign and built promotional partnerships with Time Out, Visit London and Yauatcha. Our campaign helped to ensure maximum visitor numbers and an estimated media value of £3 million.