Josephine W
Google
The Long Museum (West Bund) possesses a distinctive architecture that reflects Shanghai's industrial history. The building is an artistic statement, repurposed from a historical former coal wharf structure.
The structure preserves its massive and raw aesthetic, featuring the iconic curved, exposed columns and T-shaped vaults. This monumental scale is carried through the ground floor, which forms an atmospheric vaulted space beneath the main galleries.
Its design preserves a massive and raw aesthetic, with its iconic curved, exposed columns and T-shaped vaults. This monumental scale is carried through the ground floor, which forms an atmospheric vaulted space beneath the main galleries.
The featured exhibition during my visit, William Monk's Psychopomp (引灵人), provided a striking contrast to the museum’s Brutalist halls. The vast scale of Monk's abstract paintings and installations interacted very well with the structures. The towering height of the vaults amplified the artwork's textures and colours, making the entire exhibition feel deeply immersive and site-specific within the concrete volumes.
I thoroughly enjoyed the museum's blend of industrial heritage, powerful architecture, and the displayed artworks. It's an unmissable cultural destination.