Beijing’s X Museum Is Moving to a New Location, Following ‘Intense’ Pandemic Restrictions

Michael Xufu Huang, the prominent young Chinese art patron who founded the X Museum in Beijing, has announced that the institution will be relocating to Langyuan Station in the Chaoyang District, this spring.

The new space is being designed by architects Studio NOR and will feature two stories, with a total area of approximately 32,000 square feet (3,000 square meters). With a full renovation of interior and exterior spaces, the X Museum’s new location “promises to offer visitors an unrivaled museum experience,” and “represents a significant brand upgrade for X Museum,” according to a statement.

X Museum opened in its current location within the Beijing Art and Finance International Innovation Park in May 2020, after a two-month delay due to the outbreak of the Covid pandemic.

Huang flagged the new space in an Instagram post on February 8, saying: “We decided to move to a bigger and more central location in Beijing after intense covid restrictions last year. Looking forward to welcoming all the international visitors in May!”

The architects are responding to the long rectangular footprint of the building with a proposal for a “valley” that runs west to east and will be the museum’s main circulation path under a massive skylight, surrounded by galleries. The museum facade is marked with metal frames that can host various projects and artworks which can be easily changed, and thus will serve as yet another “exhibition gallery” that will be visible from outside the building.

The inaugural exhibition scheduled for this May is titled “X PINK 101” and will include international and domestic artists from X Museum’s collection, such as Nicolas Party, Christina Quarles, and Zhang Zipiao.

Tracing the development of contemporary art over the past century, the show will feature artists ranging from the pioneering female artist Heidi Bucher in the 1920s to the leading figurative millennial artist Quarles, investigating topics including body, gender, race, identity, as well as surreal landscapes. Featuring artists from over 15 countries and regions, the exhibition “explores the memories of individuals and collectives, highlighting the diverse cultural patterns of our time,” according to a statement.

Huang said that upon completion of its new location, X Museum will continue its focus on emerging ideas and diverse cultures, creating inclusive online and offline spaces.