Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen Exhibits Chen Man’s Photographs at LIAN Lounge

Following an exclusive event at The Gallery at Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen to celebrate SAME, Chen Man’s inaugural exhibition at the Shenzhen Art Museum, the hotel announced a collaboration exhibiting a selection of her photographs in the hotel’s LIAN Lounge. Chen Man is a prominent photographer and visual artist in the Chinese contemporary art scene. She is also a global celebrity fan of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.

SAME Exhibition at the Shenzhen Art Museum

The exhibition, open to the public from May 15 to August 9, 2024, presents Chen Man’s photography, painting and installation art from recent years. Inspired by the perspective, strength and emotion of women, the artist combines traditional Chinese artistic elements with modern artistic techniques, revitalising many intangible cultural heritage concepts in the context of modern aesthetics. The works, which present Chen Man’s art in multiple dimensions, explore the common points hidden under different appearances, revealing a vision of unity, harmony and diversity.

As a celebrity fan of Mandarin Oriental, Chen Man also exhibits photographs in the hotel’s LIAN Lounge on the 78th floor of the hotel. These images reflect her expertise in using fans for artistic creation, show a number of celebrities holding fans, including her representative work of another devoted celebrity fan of Mandarin Oriental, the Academy Award-winning actress Michelle Yeoh.

“Congratulations to Chen Man. Her long-awaited art exhibition is finally here in Shenzhen, and we are thrilled to be part of the opening reception,” says Christian Dolenc, General Manager of Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen and Area Vice President for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group in South China. “As a dear friend of our hotel, Chen Man is a genuine fan of Mandarin Oriental and the designer of our signature fan. Chen Man’s Shenzhen exhibition combines art and technology, highlighting the spirit of openness and inclusivity in the city and foreshadowing the future landscape where technology and new media art coexist.”

The Signature Fan of Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen

The fan is symbolic of the hotel group’s oriental cultural roots, with the eleven-bladed fan bringing together all the hotels into a single identity. In curating the signature fan of Mandarin Oriental, Chen Man, reflecting the traditions, crafts and skills found in southern China, focused, in particular, on the lion dance. This beautiful fan, featuring a bold red abstract design on a neutral backdrop, is designed to capture the spirit of inclusivity in Shenzhen, one of China’s fastest-growing cities. Guests can see this beautiful artwork in the hotel lobby.

“During the opening period of Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen, I was invited to create a bespoke fan for this stunning hotel in the Greater Bay Area, China. Since I studied Chinese paintings since my childhood, I can see that the theme of ‘blending Oriental and Western aesthetics for a global audience’ in photography coincides with the balanced combination of the East and the West,” Chan explains. “Therefore, I came up with the idea of painting a lion image with vermilion in the traditional Chinese colour, representing happiness, openness, protection and wisdom.” Chen Man has a special understanding and preference for lions in her artworks, “The lion is a symbol of auspiciousness and protection, so in the exhibition, opened in the Shenzhen Art Museum, I also exhibited Einstein’s Double Lion Picture painted in a gold screen, and some classic photography works related to lions.”

About Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen

With a panoramic view of the heart of the city and stunning Lotus Hill Park and Bijia Mountain Park, Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen, is situated on the top levels of Tower One of UpperHills. The luxury property consists of 178 spacious guest rooms that offer breath-taking views of the city skyline. The Mandarin Club will enhance the guest experience with exclusive ambience and personalised service. The hotel has a total of eight distinctive restaurants and bars which will make it a Shenzhen destination-dining location. The Mandarin Spa features signature Mandarin Oriental wellness treatments, along with a fitness centre and the indoor lap pool with 30m high sky roof. The Cube, a unique landmark in Futian district, is an independent meeting space offering 1,500sqm of event space. The Gallery, on the 77th floor, is one of the highest banquet spaces in the city.