Opening Ceremony of “Transforming Shakespeare into Gold”
When proud-pied April,
dressed in all his trim;
Hath put a spirit of youth in every thin.
（Shakespeare's Sonnets）
On April 19, 2024, the opening ceremony of the special exhibition "Transforming Shakespeare into Gold- Commemorating the 460th Anniversary of Shakespeare's Birth" was held in the Shanghai Art Collection Museum. The exhibition is sponsored by the Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, jointly organized by Shanghai Art Collection Museum and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. This event is also supported by the British Consulate General in Shanghai, the Shanghai Library, the National Archives UK, and other relevant units.
The exhibition will present precious objects from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. This is the first time original pieces of Shakespeare's personal items, precious archives, artworks, and rare editions are introduced into China. Numerous treasures have travelled across the ocean to meet with the audience in China. At the same time, the exhibition also brings together a number of precious collections from the National Archives, UK, Shanghai Library, and Shanghai Art Collection Museum. Through these exhibits, the audience could get close to the world of Shakespeare.
Many distinguished guests attended the opening ceremony: Xi Meijuan, Vice President of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, President of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles (SFLAC); Xia Yujing, Secretary of Party Committee and Vice President of SFLAC; Fu Jihong, Vice President of Shanghai People’s Association For Friendship With Foreign Countries; Zhang Qi, Vice Director of Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism; Yang Chunhua Secretary of Party Committee, Shanghai Library; Pan Guoli, Member of Standing Committee of the District Party committee, Director of District Publicity Office, Changning District; Gu Jieyan, Deputy District Mayor of Changning District; Zhang Weimin， Director and CEO Assistant National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai)；Catherine Sinclair-Jones, Area Director of the British Council, East China, Consul (Culture and Education) of the British Consulate-General; Rachael Claire, Director of Museum and Public Programmes of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust; Amel Nafti, Director of ENSA Dijion ; Li Chunping, Second Level Inspector, Foreign Affairs Office of the Shanghai People's Municipal Government; Zhu Jianwei, Secretary of Party Committee and Director, Culture and Tourism of Changning District and others.
Guests witnessed the opening
Highlights
Children Performance
"A Midsummer Night's Dream"
Speech by Hu Muqing
President of Shanghai Art Collection Museum
Speech by Catherine Sinclair-Jones
Area Director of the British Council, East China
Consul (Culture and Education) of the British Consulate-General in Shanghai
Speech by Xi Meijuan
Vice President of China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, President of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles
Speech by Rachael Claire
Director of Museum and Public Programmes
for the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
Distinguished guests launched the exhibition
Exhibition
Guests also included: Amy Laura Davies, Representative of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, Collection Department; Gong Laiguo, Director of the Office of the Shanghai Federation of Literature and Art Circles; Liu Na, Director of the Association Management Department of the Shanghai Federation of Literature and Art Circles; Hu Linghong, President of the Shanghai Academy of Literature and Art; Wu Min, Director of the Conference and Exhibition Center of the Shanghai Library; Zhang Yi Yi, Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Changning District Government; Zhang Haixiao, Vice-President of Shanghai Overseas Returned Scholars; Pang Mulan, President of Chen Peiqiu Foundation; Xue Fei, Deputy Secretary-General of Shanghai Education Development Foundation; Fan Guanghui, Deputy Director of Tianshan Road Street Office; Zhang Yan, President of Shanghai Changning Park Greening Construction Development Co., Ltd; Sun Xiuming, Head of the Artwork Project of the National Convention and Exhibition Center (Shanghai); Chen Maoqing, Zhang Wei, Chen Ying, experts in Shakespeare studies, and representatives of related units and media.
Li Shuiqng, Executive Director of Shanghai Art Collection Museum and Niu Jinjin, Executive Deputy Director, attended the opening ceremony together. Han Rong, Assistant of the President of SACM, and Joshua Bobley, Senior Translation Consultant of SACM, Hongqiao Friendship Award winner hosted the opening ceremony.