Shanghai artists duke it out

With the phrase “Let’s get ready to rumble!” rings out above the crowds, rarely do people whip out paint pallets. But that’s exactly what’s going to happen this Saturday night as Shanghai’s creative folk go head to head at the Shanghai Artist Battle.

Held at 800Show and put on by Dyce Productions, this artist showdown is going to turn one of Shanghai’s open warehouse spaces into a melting pot of creative juices, booze, and schmoozing. All the things Shanghai does well.

Twenty artists from across China will compete (including Nini Sum) in just about any medium you can name. And they’ll have three hours to create their masterpiece in front of a live audience. 

Judges (that includes you) will choose who takes home the RMB 2,000 prize.

To keep everyone entertained while the creatives do their thing, DJs Edamame and Ludovic Allen will spin alongside the visual projections of VJ Tina Sparkle.

SmartShanghai caught up with event organizer Bree Harrison who gave her take on the show.

"One thing that we're really pleased with is the mixture of both Shanghai artists and expat artists that will be coming out on Saturday. These two scenes tend to regard each other with a soft begrudging mutual suspicion, so getting them together feels like an accomplishment. Expect to see a lot of paint flowing and some weird interpretive sh!t that would shock your parents."

Shanghai Artist Battle, Saturday, Oct. 23, 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m., 800Show, 800 Changde Lu, near Changping Lu 常德路800号, 近昌平路, RMB 73 to watch, free to compete