Kylie Ying’s Guide To Shanghai
The co-founder of Rt021—one of Mainland China’s most prestigious art fairs—kylie Ying has been instrumental in putting Shanghai on the art world’s map. She is also a ma or collector and a tireless champion of emerging artists from around sia. Ying describes her hometown of Shanghai as a “dressed-up lady” and says the only way to become a real local is to marry someone from the city itself. If that seems a step too far, here are her next-best recommendations.
WHERE TO SLEEP
“The Beast X Gubi House. It’s a special collaboration between the Chinese lifestyle brand The Beast and the Danish design company Gubi. They turned an old house in the French Concession into a special showroom, combining a cafe with a mini hotel. They only have two rooms to stay in, so it’s really intimate.”
WHERE TO SNACK
“There is one restaurant called BOR Eatery located on the Anfu Road that
I go to often for lunch. It’s really close to where I live, and they serve delicious Danish food.”
WHERE TO PARTY
“For this year’s ART021, we co-hosted a party with Perrotin [art gallery] and Beats by Dre at 44kw, a techno club. It was a wonderful experience— they have really good taste in music.”
WHERE TO GO FOR DINNER
“For a formal meal, I usually go for Chinese food. Yang Fang Huo Guo has the best hotpot in town while Huang Yu Guan J House has the freshest yellow croaker fish in China. Xin Rong Ji is another well-established restaurant that will never let you down.”
WHERE TO SHOP
“I am looking forward to the opening of THEATRE X shopping mall on Huaihai Road. It’s going to be a pilgrimage site for trendsetters.”
WHERE TO RELAX
“The Puli Hotel and the spa at Bund 18 are where I go when I’m tired. The therapists have the best massage skills.”
WHERE TO GET CULTURED
“The Long Museum and the Rockbund Art Museum are my favourites, not only because of their highquality exhibitions, but also their incredible venues. I also love exploring emerging galleries—there are so many interesting small galleries hidden in the lanes of old Shanghai, such as BANK and Capsule.”
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Art 021 and West Bund Art & Design art fairs normally take place from the second Thursday to Sunday of November
WHERE TO BE A TOURIST
“The Bund is an icon and a must-see. There are more than 50 different styles of historical building along the Huang Pu River—the area was designated as part of the British concession, but it has become a commercial complex packed with everything you could ever want.”