Dialogues with Turner: Evoking the Sublime, co-organized by Museum of Art Pudong (MAP) and Tate, will open to the public on October 1, 2024. The exhibition marks the latest collaboration between the two museums following the remarkable success of multiple previous projects. Meanwhile, it presents a valuable opportunity to delve into the extraordinary artistic world of Joseph Mallord William Turner, one of the greatest British painters of the 19th century.

Dialogues with Turner is the largest exhibition of oil paintings ever loaned by Tate, and it brings together Turner and contemporary artists, with MAP proudly serving as the inaugural stop in Asia. The exhibition features over 100 artworks, among which nearly 80 are original oil paintings and watercolors by Turner. Together they present a holistic picture of the artistic developments and changing painting styles during the various key periods of his career. Notably, many of these works are being exhibited in China for the first time, promising an unprecedented opportunity to appreciate the genius of Turner at close range. An immersive space at MAP also screens a custom-made Turner documentary produced by Tate exclusively for this exhibition, allowing visitors to journey alongside Turner and experience the landscapes that inspired him.

In the meantime, alongside Turner's masterpieces, the exhibition cleverly intersperses works by more than ten renowned contemporary artists, including Katie Paterson, Richard Long, Olafur Eliasson, Roni Horn, Peter Doig and Wolfgang Tillmans. Some of these contemporary works are transported from London to Shanghai specifically for the exhibition. Collectively, they provide 21st century interpretations of the 18th century idea of 'sublime'. This creates the first exhibition in Asia that brings Turner into dialogue with the artists who were influenced by him, providing a compelling curatorial narrative that spans centuries and captivates a wide audience.

Known as 'the painter of light', Turner's paintings are renowned for 'indistinctness' and 'vaporous visions', characterized by an expressive use of color, mastery of light, and an extraordinary dynamism that seems to border on abstraction. As one of Britain's most admired and influential artists, Turner bequeathed much of his work to the British nation. This bequest now resides at Tate, constituting a prominent part of Tate collection. Moreover, Tate awards their annual contemporary art prize in the artist's name. The Turner Prize is recognized as the most prestigious award for visual arts in Britain. In 2020, Turner was voted to be the first artist to be featured on British banknotes, chosen from hundreds of nominated historical figures through a nationwide vote and decision by the Bank of England Committee.

Dialogues with Turner: Evoking the Sublime will run until May 10, 2025. The exhibition is produced by Shanghai Lujiazui Development (Group) Company Limited and jointly organized by Museum of Art Pudong and Tate. Elizabeth Brooke, Tate's Senior Project Curator for International Partnerships, serves as the curator for this exhibition.

About Turner

Joseph Mallord William Turner was born in 1775 in Covent Garden, London, and is widely regarded as the first modern painter. He began his formal training at the Royal Academy at just 14 and became a full Academician at the age of 26. His exceptional legacy is rooted in his expressive style and bold use of color, with the capturing of atmosphere being central to his oeuvre. Turner traveled extensively throughout Western Europe, capturing his surroundings at different times of day and in all kinds of weather. He often chose to draw and paint “en plein air” before completing his larger-scale oil paintings in his studio. Over the course of his career, Turner was at the center of artistic life in Britain and continued to paint and sketch prolifically until his death in 1851. Turner bequeathed much of his work to the British nation, and these works now reside at Tate. Moreover, Tate has awarded the annual contemporary art prize in the artist's name. The Turner Prize is recognized as the most prestigious award for visual arts in Britain.

As a pioneer of Romanticism, Turner used his extraordinary technique to capture the majesty and grandeur of nature, challenging the boundaries of human perception. Each of his paintings is a symphony of light and color, touching the viewer's soul and igniting boundless imagination. From the towering peaks of the Alps to the winding canals of Venice, Turner's canvases chronicle the eternal dialogue between humanity and the elements.