A World's Fair for China

Abstract

Much has been made of Shanghai's World Expo and its catalytic role in the city's recent urban redevelopment. Lisa Claypool, for example, argues in her article 'Where is Shanghai?' in this magazine (January/February 2010, pp. 50-54) that the event has presented a unique opportunity for a spatial redefinition of Shanghai, and the changes wrought upon the city prompt her to reflect upon where and how visual artists now locate the city, physically as well as culturally.

China is clearly celebrating its economic and cultural ascendance with an exposition of notable pomp, scale and expense. The event's significance extends well beyond its potential impact upon Shanghai's own physical development, however. Equally importantly, the World Expo reveals a bold and eager willingness to grapple with the history and nature of the international exposition as an exercise in display, representation and power.