Pan Shiheng, Founder Of Woaw Gallery: Ordinary Life, Love For Fire

Hong Kong, China, is the intersection of art and culture all over the world. In recent years, the art ecology of Hong Kong has become more and more prosperous.

Since the 2013 Basel Art Fair selected Hong Kong, China, it has become more and more important in the international art market. Not only are there two art exhibitions "Art Basel HK" and "art central" successively landing in March every year, but also a large number of international galleries and art institutions "blowout". It is worth noting that galleries and art museums in Hong Kong, China, have also been able to take advantage of the situation and thrive. Recently, pan Shiheng, the founder of woaw Gallery, pointed out in an interview with 21st century economic reporter: "the Hong Kong market in China respects art. In particular, after the Hong Kong International Art Exhibition became Basel Hong Kong, people's sense of identity with art has become stronger and stronger. "

For Hong Kong, China, which has many traditional galleries, the woaw Gallery, which was founded just two years ago, belongs to a new generation of emerging galleries. Wow is an abbreviation for "world of amazing wonders.". Pan Shiheng said that woaw's original idea was to create a platform to show what he liked. Therefore, the woaw concept store, which was founded in 2013, was once a boutique integrating fashion, fashion, art, music, electronics and catering culture. Even in today's view, such an interdisciplinary lifestyle shop is still fresh and ahead of the times.

Before he became a gallery owner, pan Shiheng had a dazzling identity as an entrepreneur, founder of chaopai, a coffee shop owner, an art collector, and a DJ. He told reporters that he set foot in the management of the gallery precisely because these extensive practice areas have given him strong support of artist contacts. With the opportunity of running chaopai, pan Shiheng often has the opportunity to cross-border cooperation with artists from different countries. He is also good friends with kaws, Futura, Jos é Parl á and other artists. Out of his support for original works of art, he began to collect the works of these friends, which aroused his love for art.

Occasionally, when he was planning an art exhibition with his friends, the paintings they exhibited were sold out quickly, which made him gradually build up his confidence and hope to show more potential but undiscovered emerging artists. Therefore, with the idea of bringing more cutting-edge contemporary art works to Asia, pan Shiheng is determined to build woaw into a space dominated by art exhibitions, promoting the dialogue between eastern and Western art creativity, and emphasizing the exchange of spirit and taste. "The world is constantly changing. An attractive concept store should no longer focus on encouraging consumption. It is more important to provide" experience "instead. Both Gen Z and millennials are very focused on 'experience' rather than just getting something. " In 2019, woaw settled in Wanchai as a gallery; In April 2021, woaw opened a second gallery space in the golden zone of central, Hong Kong, China.

In the first half of this year, woaw Gallery's two space turns brought a number of artists' joint exhibitions, timely responding to the changing social atmosphere: as the first opening exhibition of central space, "stay tuned..." depicts people's connection with each other in a brand-new space and infinite imagination of the future; "Backstage party", jointly planned with Belgium's stems Gallery, conveys a signal of hope with the works of seven artists. With the recovery of offline activities, from June 18 to July 7, woaw Gallery central space launched a joint exhibition "wop: Art on paper", inviting the audience to return to the scene and feel the delicate brushwork of the original paper art.

Pan Shiheng said that the recent exhibitions are mainly group exhibitions, hoping to let the audience see more artists' creativity and give them a broad vision.

Love is long. In the exclusive interview, whether it is the selection criteria of art exhibits or the choice of career and life, pan Shiheng often emphasizes the words "like" and "enthusiasm". "If you can find something that resonates in your heart or something you really like, it's like a fire burning in your heart," he said of being immersed in the things you love and keeping your ordinary life busy. This fire will always push you to create and do a lot of things, and will eventually take you to a new level. "