(Photo: eastday.com) |
The snake is one of the world's most ancient and universal symbols, representing many qualities, including wisdom, rebirth, eternity, cosmic unity, guardianship, fertility and sexual desire.
To celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year of the Snake, Shanghai Xintiandi features installations by Liu Yi who draws inspirations from the snake totem and presents the modern, auspicious serpent.
A dramatic Snake Pavilion at the Xintiandi Piazza instantly catches the eye. Supported by silver-colored steel pipes, the structure is decorated with auspicious snake patterns and pulsating neon lights. The dazzling light and shadow evokes a dancing snake that brightens the whole square.
The pavilion and body of the snake is decorated with auspicious Chinese characters and symbols. These include the double fish meaning peace all year round, the double gourd meaning peace and auspiciousness and the Chinese knot meaning prosperity and connection.
Walking toward the entrance gate of Xintiandi Style shopping area, visitors see a snake-shaped neon installation, which appears to be a snake in the clouds and mist. The gateway arch and the body of the snake are decorated with various auspicious patterns that are both traditional and modern.
The artist creates a "moving snake" made of many fabric "scales." It connects more than 1,000 Chinese characters(happiness) and the double fish paper-cuts to form an intertwined chain structure.
Date: Through February 24, 10am-7pm (February 10, 5pm-7pm; February 13, 1-3pm; February 16, 2-4pm; February 18, 1-3pm for dragon and lion dance)
Address: 245 Madang Rd
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