“It was all started by a mouse.”
— Walt Disney
Curiosity is the power that propels us to explore boundaries.
Since Steamboat Willie, the first animated film with synchronized sound, hit the silver screen in 1928 in New York, a little dancing mouse—Mickey Mouse—has captured the hearts and minds of fans of all ages, across generations, around the world.
In the past 100 years, as societies, economies and cultures have developed and the spiritual needs of people changed, Mickey Mouse has grown from the protagonist of early animated short films to a global pop culture icon that has transcended cultural and regional differences and been a positive force of influence across animation, art and beyond. The spirit of optimism, curiosity and fearlessness that Mickey represents continues to propel the character to explore and push boundaries, making his legacy today as strong as ever.
The “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” first opened in New York City in November, 2018. To celebrate Mickey’s 90th anniversary, Disney invited artists from diverse cultural backgrounds to reimagine the world’s most famous animated character, sparking a fantastical exploration of the possibilities of what Mickey means to our times.
“Mickey: The True Original & Ever Curious” Shanghai stop presents Mickey Mouse inspired work that over 50 renowned global and local artists have created through various mediums, including painting, sculpture, calligraphy, installation, sound, performance, new media, as well as, historic pieces. This exhibition features a special section for the Shanghai Stop: “Mickey and/in China.”
The design of the exhibition space stems from the theme “Ever curious.” Creating a park-like open space, the dynamic exhibition invokes a spirit of exploration, inviting the audience to become part of Mickey’s ever curious world.
Disney and UCCA Lab present the Shanghai stop of the “Mickey: The True Original & Ever Curious" exhibition with support from chief sponsor Mercedes-Benz V-Class. Exclusive wall solutions are provided by Huarun Paints. The exhibition is co-curated by Darren Romanelli, You Yang, Zhang Liting, and Tang Tang. The exhibition space is co-designed by Shanghai Benyi Architectural Design with special thanks to Shanghai Partner Yuz Museum.
About The Walt Disney Company, China
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes Parks, Experiences and Products; Media & Entertainment Distribution; and three content groups—Studios, General Entertainment and Sports—focused on developing and producing content for DTC, theatrical and linear platforms. In China, the Company is focused on creating high-quality entertainment experiences and effectively building Disney’s franchises. In September 2005, Disney opened its first theme park in China - Hong Kong Disneyland, a joint venture with the Hong Kong SAR Government, and in 2016 opened Shanghai Disney Resort, a joint venture with Shanghai Shendi Group. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $65.4 billion in its Fiscal Year 2020.
About UCCA Lab
UCCA Lab is an interdisciplinary platform for new kinds of art-adjacent collaboration. It has worked with prominent brands across a variety of industries to create bespoke art and cultural events, exhibitions, projects, and campaigns, and its activities have become a defining feature of UCCA’s cultural presence. UCCA Lab projects take place both at a dedicated space at UCCA Beijing, launched in 2019, and beyond, in communities around Beijing, cities around China, and worldwide. UCCA Lab seeks to share the joys of contemporary art and culture with an ever-larger audience, continually exploring urban space, interacting with local contexts, and expanding the potential forms that art projects may take.
Daniel Arsham, Tanya Aguiñiga, Stacy Aoyama, Michael Bosanko, Brian Bress, Nigo, Cao Yuxi, Chen Fenwan, Edison Chen, Chen Jie, Chen Man, Tomoko Oshima, Deng Naixuan, Feng Hanting, Kosuke Kawamura, He Tianqi, Amanda Ross-Ho, Huang Qitan, Ji Ye&Wen Yipei, James Jean, JUJUWANG, London Kaye, Michael John Kelly, John Quinn, Li Erpeng, Li Gang, Li Weiyi, Liang Manqi, Liu Jiayu, Lu Pingyuan, Brian Roettinger, Darren Romanelli, Javier Sánchez Medina, Ning Xiaoli, Noise Temple, Ariana Papademetropoulos, Peaceminusone, Oliver Payne, Shinique Smith, Keiichi Tanaami, Nana Soeda, WAKU, Mami, Wang Dongling, Alake Shilling, Jeff Shelly, Yang Mushi, Tetsuya Nomura, Zhang Xinyi, Zhou Hehe