Feng Boyi. [Photo provided to China Daily]

For instance, organizers have invited 29-year-old Amalia Ulman, who is the youngest of the 45 artists to participate. She rose to fame due to controversies surrounding her work.

"We want to let tourists and locals see what is happening in the contemporary art world. The artworks must be varied in style," says Feng of their selection of artists for the show.

More than a dozen artists will make special pieces for the Wuzhen exhibition. Their works will be shown in different environments: the ancient water town area, a silk factory, a granary area and a village.

Zhuang Hui, one of the Chinese artists who will attend the exhibition, just returned to Beijing from a trip to Wuzhen. It was his first visit to the small town known for its scenery, ancient houses and bridges.

He had planned to exhibit a previous piece in the small town. However, the granary, decorated with a wooden interior, inspired him to create a wooden installation.

"The carpenters I met in Wuzhen were so good that it has driven me to create a new piece," says Zhuang, who produces artworks across the mediums of photography, video and installation.

The flexible exhibition spaces of Wuzhen differ from those of galleries and museums. They can better inspire artists to create new, tailor-made works, Zhuang adds.