The art exhibition 1922 Comienzo: Salvador Dali × The Bund City Hall opened on Nov 11 at the Bund City Hall, the century-old former Building of Shanghai Municipal Council.

Salvador Dali, one of the most iconic surrealist artists of the 20th century, is represented through 155 works spanning 72 groups. The exhibition brings together sculptures, prints, gold jewelry, furniture, and even garments, each reflecting Dali's boundary-defying imagination.

The exhibition draws a symbolic parallel between two departures in 1922. That year, the 18-year-old Dali entered the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando in Madrid, launching his artistic career. At the same time, the former Building of Shanghai Municipal Council was put into operation, becoming a landmark of the city's modern governance and civic spirit. It served as the first office of Shanghai's municipal government and witnessed the raising of the city's first five-star red flag.

After a decade of restoration that began in 2015, the building has reopened as a symbol of the Bund's urban renewal, offering a dialogue between heritage and contemporary art.

The curatorial team presents the architecture itself as the exhibition’s first work. Visitors begin on the fourth floor and move downward through a sequence of sculptures, prints, and video installations. The descent via the building's original century-old staircase becomes part of the experience.

Curated around the theme "Image, Method, and Space", the exhibition creates a multidimensional journey through Dali's visual universe. Visitors will encounter seminal works, including The Persistence of Memory, one of the most celebrated masterpieces of surrealism.

A highlight of the exhibition is a suite of six jewelry creations by Dali, seldom shown together. Crafted in precious metals and gemstones, these wearable artworks reflect his radical fusion of surrealist vision and material innovation.

If you go

📅 When: Until March 10, 2026

📍 Where: The Bund City Hall, No 200 Fuzhou Road, Huangpu district

⏰ Open: Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm

🎫 Ticket price:

• Single tickets: 118 yuan ($16.63)
• Double tickets: 188 yuan
• Family tickets (two adults + one child): 230 yuan
• Concession tickets: 55 yuan (students/seniors/visitors with disabilities; valid ID required)

📱 Ticket purchase: Available via Damai and Maoyan platforms

Sources: The Bund City Hall, WeChat account of the publicity department of the CPC Huangpu district committee at "shhuangpu", Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism