This year, Hoegaarden and UCCA Lab are working together to bring the “Hoegarden Natural Cloudscape Art Project” to Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou from June 14 to July 14. In these three cities, interplay between art and music will share the “Naturally Cloudy” experience of drinking Hoegaarden Wheat with the audience, appealing to their senses of hearing, sight, and touch to draw them into a refreshing secret garden away from the noise of the city.

Life is a non-stop journey of experiences, and “Hoegaarden Natural Cloudscape Art Project” provides a place to pause and learn more in the middle of a hot summer. UCCA Lab and the artists work hand in hand to create an immersive experience that will lead audiences to reflect on materiality, emotion, and spirituality. The exhibition starts with the “High in the Clouds Experience,” in which the light and pure sensory experience of the display ingeniously echoes the unique fermentation of process of Hoegaarden Wheat Beer, which leads to Hoegaarden’s naturally cloudy body, and makes the taste soft and dense, like a fluffy cloud. By combining installation, sound, and digitally processed animation, the artist He Wei has created Wander in Clouds and Harmony, letting the audience wander through mirage-like clouds. Surrounded by verdant greenery, the singing of birds in their ears, massive clouds next to their feet, and an illusion of pleasant tipsiness, the audience’s experience is heightened, leading them to appreciate the special charm of Hoegaarden Wheat. Meanwhile, in his work Factory of Clouds, the artist Peng Xianfeng recreates the production of clouds. The artwork invites to audience to observe and explore the slow falling of the clouds. By experiencing the exhibition in a gradual manner, it is as if visitors are tasting Hoegaarden Wheat with more patience, enjoying its mellow aftertaste. Wandering in the cloud realm the artists create, the audience not only enjoy the naturally cloud taste of Hoegaarden Wheat, but also have an emotional experience.

UCCA Lab has always believed that art exhibitions should go past the boundaries of the art museum and reach out to the wider space of the city and pass on the beauty of contemporary art to a broader audience. “Hoegaarden Natural Cloudscape Art Project” draws art out of the museum and combines it with a pop music live concert, building a house of mellow clouds that is artistic but also down-to-earth.  A diverse audience can encounter contemporary art will enjoying the flavor of Hoegaarden Wheat and taking a break from busy city life, making the exhibition space a secret getaway from the pressures of urban living. Beyond helping the audience experience Hoegaarden Wheat, the project also can lead the audience to rethink their relationship with the city, shaping a relaxed, exciting attitude.

“Hoegaarden Natural Cloudscape Art Project” is presented by Hoegaarden and UCCA Lab. The exhibition is completed in partnership with Chewing Theory Studio (directed by He Wei) and Peng Xianfeng Studio.