Chanel Unveils a Contemporary Art Library, Opening the Doors to its Universe in China

Chanel promotes culture and art in China. The French maison opens the doors of the Gabrielle Chanel space, the first public library of contemporary art in China, located in the Power Station of Art in Shanghai, one of the most important museums in the country. With more than 17,000 square feet, the project houses more than 50,000 books and audio editions, making it one of the largest centers for research and discovery of contemporary art in the country.

The Gabrielle Chanel space aims to be a meeting point for researchers, students, artists and anyone interested in contemporary art, and to become a cultural space open to the city.

Designed by Japanese architect Kazunari Sakamoto, the library proposes a dialogue between the stability and fluidity of the former industrial space where it is built. Its most prominent element is the valley of books, a labyrinthine area inspired by the energy of the Huangpu River.

Espace Gabrielle Chanel features an exhibition hall, a theater, a new design center and a terrace

Espace Gabrielle Chanel is an initiative of Chanel Culture Fund in Asia, and is partnered by Power Station of Art, with whom it has been collaborating since 2021 through the Next Cultural Producer program, which promotes contemporary craft, architecture and theater practices in China.

In addition to the library, the museum’s new additions include an exhibition hall, a theater, a new design center and a terrace overlooking the river.

“The library embodies the essence of the ideology of the Chanel Cultural Fund. This idea of intercultural exchange, of honoring heritage, housing a nation’s archives and, at the same time, showcasing the best of the avant-garde,“ Yana Peel, Chanel’s president for art, culture and heritage, told ArtNews.