At the end of a year, a retrospective or a collection of past works seems to be in order, especially for a gallery. Now at Shanghai's 1918 Art Space, owner Zhao Yonggang presents a visual banquet in a group show "Recreation."

It displays the works of 14 artists who have been singled out by Zhao for their talent, their integrity and for going their own way despite popular trends.

The show presents paintings, sculptures, photographs, video and even music.

Since the gallery opened in 2004, it has become one of the most important art havens in town but owner Zhao is not as pleased as one might think.

Zhao is uncompromising in his refusal to show contemporary art in old socialist realism style.

Such works are often seen in so-called "Chinese contemporary art guide books" and sell very well around the world.

But Zhao apparently is too idealistic to make fortune and fame selling such works. After studying art in France he decided to become a gallery owner instead of an artist.

He says humbly that's because he doesn't have the ability to be an artist, though he has tried hard. But Zhao is actually stronger, more ambitious and self-reliant - instead of asking someone else to show his works, he opens his own gallery and shows the works of others that he appreciates. He's in charge.

Zhao cites the "sincere" works of artists whose works he displays. One of them is Zheng Delong who has painted his late Great Dane dog for eight years in memorial, also Andreas Kohler's photos of Germans' daily life and Zadok Ben David's anatomical metal sculptures.

"My artists focus more on what they truly feel," says Zhao, "rather than following what's hot in society."

But supporting these artists means Zhao earns less as he does not "adjust" his artists according to the market's feedback and encourage them to paint what's in vogue.

Zhao's efforts to catch up with the latest trends in modern art also have cost him considerable time and energy.

His art space has held nonprofit events such as some French and Spanish art academies' visits and architecture and environment design forums.

Zhao apparently prefers young and emerging artists not only for their potential but also for the pleasure of discovering an intact artistic hand and spirit. Although young artists are normally immature, Zhao collaborates with them, and doesn't give dos and don'ts.

The current exhibition demonstrates how his philosopher's stone works. A young artist has painted an abstract series titled "Poena" on the suffering caused by war. But the canvases are too small and too "light" for the spacious hall.

So Zhao puts two pieces together back-to-back, then hangs them from the ceiling, so they create dark clouds of ghosts and a nightmare sensation.

However, Zhao's setting such high standards and expectations sometimes causes disappointment as his "ideal" works have yet to appear.

"The majority of artists tend to create merely visual marvels to satisfy viewers' eyes," he says. "But they will fail if they can no longer stimulate people's eyes.

"A true artist feels and grasps what's happening in this society and how people are changed by and during our modern age.

"I think Chinese comedy filmmaker Feng Xiaogang's 'A Big Shot's Funeral' is a fine example. The hilarious dialogue in a lunatic asylum between business tycoons tells us all what's happened in China today and that's true art."

Date: through January 14, 10:30am-7pm
Address: 78 Changping Rd
Tel: 021-52286776