Three-dimensional fun

Fine sculptures add to the culture of a city in many ways, bringing a touch of art, history and excitement to streets and squares. In Shanghai people can find those cheerful metal, wood and stone slices of life around Jing'an district and Huaihai Road West, and there are even more in the confines of major galleries and museums.

Soon one of Britain's leading sculptors, Tony Cragg, will bring a collection of his works to Shanghai for a special exhibition at the Himalayas Art Museum in Pudong New Area. This acclaimed and award-winning artist, best known for working with "junk" and producing elegant and emotive works, will be showing 49 of his large sculptures and 127 of his works on paper.

Many of his works are seen at their best in cities all around the world where the figures and shapes bring new delights to parks, city streets and public venues. But in Shanghai, even without Cragg's works brightening the streets and parks, there are many examples of sculpture to be found, especially in these three major exhibition areas which are each worth a visit.

Jing'an Sculpture Park

Jing'an Sculpture Park is the only downtown city park dedicated to sculpture. Since it opened in 2008, the park has exhibited 18 different series including 24 pieces by acclaimed international artists Philippe Hiquily from France, Barbara Edelstein from the US and Arne Quinze from Belgium.

Arranged across the park the sculptures are set in lawns, hedges and steps, each fitting its surroundings harmoniously. The most regular visitors are the local residents who come there to dance or exercise. They love the park and the sculptures - their favorite is US artist Peter Woytuk's The Everlasting Moment on the Plain. Woytuk's languid bronze bulls are both delightful and awe-inspiring and just about every visitor reaches out at some time to touch and feel these great metal beasts.

The park has a variety of offerings and views and can be reached from three gates on Shimen'er Road, Beijing Road West and Chengdu Road North. Gate 1 on Shimen'er Road and Gate 3 on Chengdu Road North are linked by a long path which acts as a display area for temporary exhibitions. Phase I of the park covers 30,000 square meters and Phase II, still under construction, will spread over 36,000 square meters. The new Shanghai Natural History Museum is also being constructed inside the park.

Every two years the park is the home for a two-month international sculpture exhibition which attracts works from leading artists from throughout China and around the world. This year the exhibition will open on September 20 with its official launch there on September 19.

The park blends its artistic roles with ecology and features a carefully-selected series of attractive and appropriate plants, flowers and trees throughout the year.

Opening hours: 5 am to 9 pm

Address: 128 Shimen'er Road, Jing'an district

Tel: 021-5228 9562

Shanghai Sculpture Space

This exhibition space is found in the Redtown Culture and Art Community which was transformed from a steel factory constructed in 1956 into the center it is today. Covering 20,000 square meters, the exhibition space spreads through an outdoor exhibition square and an exhibition hall and displays 150 works by artists from home and abroad. Admission is free.

It combines the functions of a sculpture exhibition area, a creative center and an art education base. And it aims to become an international exhibition platform for sculptors from all over the world.

The Balance of the Sky and The Ring of Landscape by the Japanese artist Nobuo Sekine are standout pieces in the outdoor collection. The exhibition hall, which used to be the workshop for the factory, is divided into two sections. The first section is a 2,000-square-meter space for exhibitions and commercial activities. The second section has a sculpture exhibition area, businesses and an art education center. Some of the works on display are for sale.

One of the outstanding works to be found here is the statue of the famous Chinese writer Wang Xiaobo as a nude. Its creator, Zheng Min, who made this when he was a student at the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, set out to depict the author suffering under the pressure of public opinion. Another fine piece is An Intense Yawn by Tian Xi, a contemporary Chinese sculptor. This work is a strange creature perhaps made even stranger with the artist's commentary: "I cannot help yawning, failing to constrain my desire."

The center regularly presents exhibitions and in the past visitors have crowded to see the works of big-name artists like Auguste Rodin, Wu Yongping and Andy Warhol.

Along with the Shanghai Sculpture Space, the Minsheng Art Museum is another public art institution in the Redtown Culture and Art Community. With quality exhibitions and academic activities, the gallery aims to help the development of contemporary Chinese art and promote international art in China.

Opening hours: 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday

Address: 570, Huaihai Road West, Changning district

Tel: 021-6280 4741

Shanghai Sculpture Park

The centerpiece of this attractive leisure center in Songjiang district is Shanghai's largest man-made lake that ripples over 310,000 square meters. This all makes for a great day out with sandy beaches, a fairground, barbecue and teahouses as well as sculpture. A giant 26-meter-tall tree house is a big hit with children and affords a marvelous view of the park and surroundings.

Another fun attraction is a glass bridge with fountains playing over it. Many visitors enjoy playing on what some describe as the "bouncy hills," which offer a large area of pneumatic undulating surfaces that let children and adults jump and bounce.

The park features more than 60 pieces of sculpture throughout. Italian artist Gheorghi Filin's abstract sculpture Mermaid is an impressive work that catches everyone's eye. Set in water it comprises three large solid rectangular shapes that change their aspects as the viewer walks around. Japanese sculptor Ito Takamichi's Reflective Forest is indeed a forest of thin pillars that reflect, enhance and color the surroundings.

The park is designed for a family outing and the sections around the lake are divided into four areas representing the seasons. On the autumn side stand the Yuehu Gallery and a Cantonese restaurant. The winter section features pavilions and musical fountains along with plum blossoms - at the right time of year.

Unlike most parks in Shanghai you can bring your dog here although the dog admission ticket costs 30 yuan ($4.72). The park will stage a photographic exhibition of pictures of aspects of the park from September 17 to September 23 during the Shanghai Tourism Festival and will hold a dog show on October 5.

Opening hours: 9 am to 5 pm

Price: 120 yuan (half price during the Shanghai Tourism Festival 9.17-9.23)

Tel: 021-5779 8090

Address: 1158 Linyin New Road, Songjiang district