Susan Johnson (more chengdu) Lippo Tower is a real love or hate affair. While the gleaming black edifice, finished earlier this year, may bring a lot of things to mind (death, Gotham City), contemporary Western art is probably not one of them yet, located high up in Suite 212 of this enormous beast is O Gallery, a small, but unique collection of Western painting.
Owned by an American Chengdu resident, the gallery serves as an introduction for local audiences to a brush style and aesthetic that is significantly different from what they may have caught elsewhere. And while there’s no doubting the influence of Western art upon contemporary Chinese artists, being able to view quality pieces by Western artists themselves surely adds to the depth and diversity of Chengdu’s collection of galleries, many of which are found in the city’s south.
Of the artists featured, from Australia, Europe and North America, their work varied from pointillist portraits to idyllic pastoral scenes. Though the space is quite small, it’s conveniently located, and makes for an easy stop during a visit to the area’s popular shopping and restaurant districts. On our trip, the friendly gallery staff also mentioned future events featuring visiting artists. Outside the gallery, be sure to linger in the elegant foyer, itself carrying art and sculptures of a far more local flavor.
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