Seth Pimentel - Shanghai, China

approx. 27.5"h x 19.75"w unframed

Silkscreen print, edition of 50, signed and numbered by the artist

Destination: Shanghai, China

Jaunt #106

“Regardless of preconceptions people might have of Chinese big cities, I really wanted to embrace the fullness of the city in a pure way, so I went into this trip with a clear mind and was not disappointed. Some aspects of the Shanghai were easier than others, but without a doubt the food made a huge impression on me. It was affordable and absolutely delicious everywhere I went. The Xiaolongbao, a soup-esque dumpling which tasted great, quickly became my favourite. 

Communication however was super tough, I hardly spoke with people while I was there. I met some guys at a bar and we had a few drinks, but we were using translators the whole time trying to get across to each other. In the context of language it was quite a lonely experience in that regards. But the culture of China and the general aesthetic of Shanghai made up for my alienness in the city. On one of the days I went to a space called M50 and was introduced to the creative scene there, which had an incredible rawness and dedication to the craft. I saw these portrait pieces there that conveyed a sense of movement, they were painted in oil and spoke about love and the internal dialogue one has. I didn't get the name of the artist but those works really stuck out for me. It also really blew my mind to see people in their 60s still pursuing art relentlessly. 

Shanghai felt like a huge melting pot of different aesthetics. For example I saw quite a bit of Korean pop idol inspired guys, and Japanese Kawaii inspired girls. But what really stood out for me was the skater/hip hop influenced styles and the goth/alternative style. Because of this I gave the woman I portrayed in my artwork an alternative/emo style to her. I was personally really connected to that subculture as a kid and to see it manifest in the East was beautiful to me. I wanted to intertwine that upbeat aesthetic of the average student in Shanghai, together with the dragons and foo dogs that I saw quite a bit throughout the city as well. They serve as a symbol of protection and prosperity and combined with the strong red as an element of good luck and prosperity again, it really encapsulated my experiences in Shanghai.” –Seth Pimentel