Chan's gems put on a sparkling display

The Shanghai Museum East is currently presenting the first solo exhibition for a living artist. Wallace Chan: Half a Century, ongoing from Wednesday to Oct 7, includes more than 200 pieces created by the Hong Kong-raised Chinese jewelry designer, juxtaposed against artifacts from the collections of a number of prestigious institutions.

The Shanghai Museum has a focus not just on ancient art, but also on modern and contemporary art, according to its director, Chu Xiaobo. It has begun a new exhibition series, Drawing Inspiration from the Past: Masters of Modern and Contemporary Art, that seeks to highlight modern and contemporary artists from both the domestic and international arenas.

"Ultimately, the goal is for us to explore the unknown, challenge ourselves and embrace the future," Chu said at the opening.

The featured artist in the inaugural exhibition was born in Fuzhou, Fujian province, in 1956, and began to work as a gemstone carver in 1973 at the age of 16.