A 14-meter-tall red Dala horse sculpture will stand at the North Bund waterfront stage in Shanghai's Hongkou district from June 14 until the end of August, reportedly the largest of its kind worldwide. It serves as the centerpiece of the exhibition, A Cultural Journey: Where the Dala Horse Encounters Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Opening on Sunday — this year's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day in China — the exhibition will run until Aug 31 at the Grand Halls in Hongkou. The show promises a vibrant East-West dialogue on craftsmanship and culture and marks the first public art exhibition held at the venue, a historic building complex in the core of the North Bund area. Refurbished in 2021, it comprises three structures spanning 99,000 square meters and integrates conference, banquet, exhibition, and performance functions.
As a flagship event for Hongkou district's Cultural and Natural Heritage Day, the exhibition incorporates eight local intangible heritage projects and more than 30 original horse-themed cultural products. Over the course of the event, 52 cultural activities, including markets, opera appreciation sessions, handson workshops, and lectures, will be open to audiences of all ages.
The Dala horse is one of Sweden's most cherished cultural symbols, dating back to the 1600s in the Dalarna region, where woodworkers carved toy horses from pine remnants for their children.
According to Li Haichao, CEO of Nordic Light (Shanghai) Brands Co Ltd, one of the exhibition's co-organizers, the wooden horse has appeared on numerous international stages as an emblem of goodwill, becoming a cultural ambassador for Sweden and a testament to Sino-Swedish friendship.
Zhu Jingbo, deputy director of the Shanghai Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center, notes that the exhibition is jointly organized by leading cultural, tourism, and academic institutions to celebrate the 76th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Sweden and the Lunar Year of the Horse.
Curator Zhang Lili, vice-dean of the Shanghai Academy of Fine Arts at Shanghai University, explains that the exhibition's core area spans 1,200 sq m and presents 20 national-level intangible cultural heritage crafts related to the horse motif, interpreted through the lens of the Five Elements — metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Highlights include Tang Dynasty (618-907) sancai-glazed ceramics, Fengxiang clay figurines, Gu embroidery, shadow puppets, and boxwood carvings.
A bamboo-woven robotic horse will also be displayed, showcasing technological innovation and exploring future innovations in traditional craftsmanship. An interactive zone invites visitors to try their hand at various crafts under the guidance of heritage bearers, while an outdoor photo area offers opportunities to capture the experience.
"We hope the exhibition will not only showcase the skills and aesthetics of China's intangible cultural heritage, but also integrate it into people's daily lives, allowing it to be appreciated, experienced, and enjoyed," Zhu says. She adds that the project aims to "inject a traditional, yet vibrant contemporary force into China's international cultural influence".
In addition to the towering red Dala horse outside the venue, antique Dala horses from Sweden will make their Shanghai debut. "We will also introduce colorful merchandise inspired by the Dala horse, enabling visitors to touch, taste, feel, and take a piece of this cultural encounter home," Li says.
