Art Field Nanhai attracts global tourists to villages of Nanhai District, Foshan City.

Xiqiao Town, a historic gem in Foshan, has emerged as a global tourist hotspot through the organization of Art Field Nanhai. Serving as the flagship venue for this internationally acclaimed art festival, the town transforms rural landscapes into immersive art installations, blending local stories seamlessly with contemporary creativity.

Art installations distributed to help explore rural stories

Major art areas in Xiqiao Town

Centered on the theme "The Original Bay Area", the art festival brings together artists to Xiqiao, an iconic town within the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, that is renowned for its 2,000-year-old water systems and plays a significant role in the development of the robust region. It invites artists to immerse themselves in the town's landscape, history and culture, allowing them to express their experiences in their narratives.

"Unlike exhibitions in museums or galleries, the festival distributes art installations across various locations, encouraging visitors to stroll along country roads and engage with the villagers. This immersive experience allows them to gain a deeper understanding of the land and its people," said He Haiyang, the communication head of Art Field Nanhai (China).

The art festival aims to showcase more than just rural scenery, emphasizing local urbanization, rural revitalization, and the town's unique identity—its history, thriving villages, and defining landmarks. "For instance, Xiqiao Mountain's art zone highlights Lingnan landscapes and the Zhujiang civilization, while Tingyin Lake mirrors modern urbanization. We even restored the abandoned cicada-rearing structures to highlight the area's past silk industry boom," he explained.

Artists explore the village before creation. 

Since its debut in 2022, this biennial event has attracted 271 artists from 31 countries to create 168 site-specific installations. Moreover, it has driven sustained growth in tourism intake, revenue, and foreign investment in Xiqiao over three consecutive years, generating over 500 million RMB and 930 million RMB in tourism revenue respectively during the 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 exhibition periods.

Thus far, the art festival has expanded to Xiqiao Town and Jiujiang Town, covering 10 art areas. In 2024, the Art Field Nanhai project established its permanent headquarters at Youwei Museum by Tingyin Lake (听音湖), Xiqiao Town. This move cements Xiqiao's status as a cultural hub in the Greater Bay Area and a rising star in global cultural tourism.

Tingyin Lake: A gateway to Nanhai's culture and tourism

Third Paradise at Qiaoshan by Michelangelo Pistoletto, positioned in the garden by the Youwei museum

Nestled at the foot of Xiqiao Mountain, Tingyin Lake hosts the Art Field Nanhai Guangdong headquarters and the town's cultural arts hub. Combining the art festival's main venue, service station, and exhibition spaces, it staged an international sustainable fashion exhibition and showcased both preserved and emerging art projects in the 2024-2025 session.

The headquarters of Art Field Nanhai Guangdong is located in the Youwei Museum, and is set to become a focal point for cultural and industrial activities in the future, marking a new landmark for the bay area art.

The Nanhai Silk Mill is also situated near Tingyin Lake. Established in 1996, the factory is one of the last remaining in the Pearl River Delta. Art Field Nanhai aims to revive Xiqiao's textile culture in collaboration with the silk factory, creating a vibrant hub for young creativity. This renewed energy will extend to the Laoguanshan area(老官山), forming a citywalk route.

Pingsha Island: Relics of once booming silk industry revitalized

Pingsha Island (平沙岛), the largest river island in the Pearl River Delta, relies on ferries for access. Most of the residents on the island were once involved in the silk industry but now migrated to nearby mega cities for higher-paid jobs. The art festival transformed the abandoned cicada-rearing structures into exhibition rooms and invites visitors to explore the untold stories of the island.

Day Line-The Diligent Sun by Wu Jian'an. The installation illustrates the sun tirelessly nurturing all life on earth. The artwork capture the dynamic and optimistic essence of the sun and is said to represent the spirit of the Pingsha Island.

Taiping Xu: An old market with new renovation

Thriving since the late Ming Dynasty, Taiping Xu (太平墟) was once a key gateway to Nanhai's mulberry orchards along the Xijiang River and has been revitalized by Art Field Nanhai. The project reimagines the area by repurposing idle spaces, transforming buildings, and launching art initiatives alongside innovative pop-ups and creative projects. Its historic streets are now being renewed, marked by rising design quality, youthful energy, and premium branding.

Timeless Beacon by Ma Yansong, is an installation created at the 2022-2023 Art Field Nanhai and is preserved at the river bank of Taipingxu. It was selected as one of the Top 10 Public Art Projects of the Year globally.

Ruxi Village: Traditional mulberry and pond agricultural system highlighted

Ruxi Village (儒溪村) presents a model to showcase rural revitalization in China as the lively atmosphere of every household here is truly inspiring. A steady stream of young people is returning to start their ventures, enriching the visitor experience and exhibition routes. The dynamic interaction between the local community and art presents the stories of the Mulberry Orchard enclosure in a more three-dimensional and vivid manner.

Yugengyueyun: A glimpse of ten thousand acres of mulberries and ponds

Leaping Fish and Flying Bird, a preserved installation, is located in Yugengyueyun (渔耕粤韵)

Visit the place where "fish grow on trees"! Yugengyueyun (渔耕粤韵) is a living museum showcasing the modern aquaculture culture of Nanhai. In 2024, Art Field Nanhai continued to emphasize ecological protection by establishing a real-life mulberry and silk agriculture botanical garden that complements the scenic beauty of Xiqiao Mountain. Interdisciplinary and cross-border creations enhance the thematic experience, enabling visitors to feel enveloped by nature and to embrace the leisurely lifestyle they truly aspire to.

Art Field Nanhai formulated 5 art routes covering 10 art areas during the 2024-2024 exhibition period, including 4 sections of water art tours (Art dragon boat + Art painting boat).

Route 1: Tingyin Lake - Xiqiao Mountain - Nanhai Silk Mill:

Route 2: Tingyin Lake - Taipingxu - Pingsha Island (including a water tour route from Tingyin Lake to Taipingxu):

Route 3: Tingyin Lake - Ruxi Village - Yugengyueyun (including a water tour route from Tingyin Lake to Ruxi Village to Yugengyueyun):

Route 4: Guofeng Park - Yannan Village (including a water tour route from Yannan Yanqiao to Yannan Xingxian):

Route 5: Guofeng Park - Huangji Village - Heging Village (including water tour routes from Huangji to the north of Huangji Dongshe and from Huangji Xiangbei of Heging).

Reported by Yin Juewen

Photo by 广东南海大地艺术节