Chinese Voices on Palladio: From Classical Architecture to Contemporary Experiment

Exhibition Info

Chief Curatorial Advisors　　　　Zhuang Weimin (Tsinghua University)　Lu Xiaobo (Tsinghua University)

Exhibition Director　　　　Deng Yan (Tsinghua University)

Exhibition Period　　　　10 July 2026 – 11 October 2026

Exhibition Venue　　　　2nd Floor Exhibition Hall, Tsinghua University Art Museum

Curators　　　　Michele Bonino (Politecnico di Torino)　Giorgia Cestaro (Politecnico di Torino)
　　　　Pierre-Alain Croset (Politecnico di Milano)　Li Luke (Tsinghua University)
　　　　Qing Feng (Tsinghua University)　Edoardo Piccoli (Politecnico di Torino)

Contemporary Art Section Curator　　　　　　　　Guicciardo Sassoli de’ Bianchi Strozzi (Associazione Nuova Artemarea ETS)

Architects　　　　Yung Ho Chang, Gong Dong, Fang Xiaofeng, Feng Jiang, He Jianxiang, Hua Li, Jiang Ying, Li Han,
　　　　Li Xinggang, Doreen Heng Liu, Wang Hui, Xu Haohao, Zhang Li, Zhu Pei

Artists　　　　Matteo Basilé, Davide Bramante, Luca Pozzi, Pietro Ruffo, Davide Sebastian

Photographic Project　　　　Lois Conner

Project Coordinators　　　　Federico Roberto Antonelli (Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing), Elisa Palana (Embassy of Italy),
　　　　Elisa Messina (Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing), Giorgia Cestaro (Politecnico di Torino),
　　　　Lidia Preti (Politecnico di Torino)

Scientific advisor　　　　Guido Beltramini (Centro Internazionale di Studi di Architettura Andrea Palladio/ Palladio Museum)

Academic Assistant　　　　Lidia Preti (Politecnico di Torino)

Exhibition Assistants　　　　 Zoe Yang, Alp Arda

Translator　　　　Ren Jingge (Associazione Nuova Artemarea ETS)

Operational Team　　　　Daniele Galleni (Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing), Leilei Wang (Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing),
　　　　Christian Fontana (Embassy of Italy) Press and Communication

Press and Communication　　　　Giulia Radovan (Embassy of Italy), Xiaoning Yang (Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing), Antonella Massia (Politecnico di Torino)

Video Interviews Director and Producer　　　　　　　　　　Andrea Verdelli

Visual Director　　　　Francesco Carota, Margherita Iperique

Exhibition and Graphic Design　　　　　　PoliTO Studio (Alessandro Cacioppo, Francesco Carota, Gabriele Gatti, Francesca La Malva,
　　　　　　Alessandro Servalli, Luca Zanon), China Room PoliTO (Edoardo Bruno, Lidia Preti)

Exhibition Construction Design and Supervision　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Calibro Zero (Beatrice Armano, Margarita Avanesian, Francesco Carota,
　　　　　　　　　　　　Vittorio Cravino, Margherita Iperique, Ilenia Marchitelli)

Project Coordinators　　　　Wang Chenya, Deng Huishu, Ma Xiao, Chen Xinglu

Academic Assistant　　　　Deng Huishu

Design Supervisors　　　　Wang Peng, Liu Huijian

Publicity Team　　　　Liu Yaomeng, Zhou Xinxin, Xiao Fei

Education Program　　　　Wang Ying, Zhou Ying, Wang Wenhui, Zhang Ruiqi

Organized by　　　　Tsinghua University Art Museum　Department of Architecture and Design DAD, Politecnico di Torino
　　　　School of Architecture, Tsinghua University

Co-organized by　　　　Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana Treccani

Promoted and Supported by　　　　　Embassy of Italy to the People’s Republic of China　Italian Institute of Culture in Beijing

Exhibition Profile

Chinese Voices on Palladio explores the enduring relevance of Andrea Palladio's architectural thought through the perspectives of contemporary Chinese architecture and Italian contemporary art. Curated by the Department of Architecture and Design of Politecnico di Torino, co-organized with Tsinghua University Art Museum and the School of Architecture of Tsinghua University, with the support of the Institute of the Italian Encyclopaedia Treccani, the exhibition is the result of a collaborative research project between Italy and China. It brings Palladio's ideas into dialogue with some of the most influential voices in contemporary architecture and art, revealing their continuing resonance across cultures and disciplines.

 

The exhibition unfolds through three interconnected sections. At its core, the exhibition brings together fourteen leading Chinese architects. Rather than seeking evidence of direct influence, the project investigates whether Palladio's drawings, writings, and built works continue to provide meaningful tools for addressing the challenges of contemporary architecture. Through site-specific installations, architectural models, drawings, and original video interviews, each architect reflects on themes such as the relationship between architecture and landscape, tradition and innovation, proportion, and the human experience of space.

 

The photographic section presents a newly commissioned series by Lois Conner, creating a visual dialogue between the Palladian landscapes of the Veneto and contemporary Chinese landscapes. Finally, Palladio: Echoes in Contemporary Italian Art features works by five Italian artists, offering contemporary artistic interpretations of Palladio's cultural and architectural legacy.

 

Bringing together architecture, photography, contemporary art, and academic research, Chinese Voices on Palladio offers a fresh perspective on Palladio's enduring legacy, demonstrating how his principles of harmony, proportion, and dialogue with place continue to inspire architectural thought and artistic experimentation across cultures today.