Shanghai was already a vital, prospering metropolis with a population of over one million in the 1920s and 1930s-the commercial and cultural center of China and the one place in the vast kingdom where Western influences were bound to have their strongest impact. Artists from all different disciplines took part in the lively debates on the issues of what direction Chinese art and culture should take. Shanghai Modern documents the vigorous cultural exchange between Europe-especially Germany-and China. The book sheds new light on the early years of China's opening to the West in essays by authors of international renown and presents a magnificent collection of works, many of which have never been shown before, by early exponents of Chinese modernism. Exhibition schedule: Museum Villa Stuck, Munich, October 14., 2004 - January 9, 2005 · Kunsthalle zu Kiel Feburary 25 - May 15, 2005