When Titanium Becomes Poetry

Can a material born for industry tell a story of human fragility? Wallace Chan answers this question with Vessels of Other Worlds, the major exhibition at Shanghai's Long Museum, presented in dialogue with a parallel project in Venice. The exhibition leads visitors through a series of immersive spaces before revealing three monumental titanium sculptures, rising up to ten metres high, that seem to hover between reality and imagination. A self-taught artist from Hong Kong, Chan has spent more than five decades pushing the boundaries of materials and craftsmanship, transforming titanium into a medium of remarkable lightness and poetic expression. Composed of thousands of individual elements, his sculptures weave together human figures, mythical creatures, and references to Chinese tradition, creating a universe in constant transformation. One of the installations even invites visitors to step inside, entering a kaleidoscopic environment where reflections and perspectives shift with every movement. More than a sculpture exhibition, Vessels of Other Worlds is a journey into matter transformed into memory, spirituality, and wonder.