Art markets with potential

Matthew Barney's work Watercast 8 will be shown at West Bund Art & Design fair. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Coles says a lot of her artists are "curious about showing their work in China ... and are interested in the new experiences and audiences which China offers".

China is not only a destination for Coles to expand her business. It is also the focus of talk in London's art circles over the past two months, sparked by two contemporary Chinese art exhibitions at her gallery: Zhongguo 2185 and Xuzhen Supermarket, which ended on Sunday.

Coles says the shows introduced to London and Europe a younger generation of artists from China, "whose practices are in dialogue with their contemporaries worldwide".

Zhongguo 2185 showed works by 10 artists who are in their 30s.

Coles says it had "incredible" attendance, particularly from young people who recognize the "shared anxieties of contemporary life" in the displayed artworks.

Xuzhen Supermarket featured the virtual environment of a supermarket in which the audience was surrounded by stacks of commodities.

The exhibition by Shanghai artist Xu Zhen, 40, examined such topics as the relentless circle of supply and demand, and mass consumption.