上海外滩美术馆将于2011年10月重新与观众见面，开馆首展为国际著名艺术家张洹的大型个展《问孔子：张洹个展》。在《问孔子：张洹个展》中，艺术家将呈现其近年来对于一系列艺术与社会议题的思考，整个展览筹划历时两年，所有作品均针对本馆空间及美术馆的文化环境量身打造。担任此次展览策划的是东京森美术馆的馆长、国际著名策展人南条史生，南条先生同时也是上海外滩美术馆新成立的学术委员会的委员之一。

《问孔子：张洹个展》的基本概念源自于张洹先生长期以来所思考的一系列问题：在经济和社会的剧烈变革之中，在面对能源和气候所提出的挑战之时，我们该如何实现可持续发展？随着中国在全球的地位越发重要，我们所应该和能够担当起来的责任是什么？与此同时，当代中国人的精神归属又在哪里？

这些问题看似宏大而分散，却具有着内在的联系，并且已无法逃避。艺术家希望通过为美术馆空间度身定做的大型雕塑、油画、香灰画和概念装置作品，来探索这些话题的内在结构，在当代艺术的语境中给出一个特有的观察和思考的途径。

正如本馆的历次展览一样，本次展览的作品也都是为美术馆空间度身定做，并力图与整个外滩源地区独特的建筑环境和历史人文背景相呼应。同时，展品也不限于美术馆的物理空间，而是与周边社区环境融合，以期与受众发生更为直接的交流和互动，实现“无墙美术馆”的理念。

展览其间，美术馆也将举办《问孔子：张洹个展》国际学术研讨会，以及一系列的教育推广活动（如讲座、儿童画创作等），并将出版展览画册，以进一步阐发展览相关的社会和艺术议题，扩大展览的学术和人文价值。

(July 20, 2011 Shanghai, China) The Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) re-opens in Shanghai on October 15, 2011, after completing Phase II of the historical building’s renovations for presenting contemporary art, with Q Confucius - the largest solo exhibition in China by world-renowned artist Zhang Huan. With Confucius as his inspiration, the now Shanghai-based artist explores the impact on art, society, and religion of China’s rapid economic, cultural, and environmental changes. All new work has been commissioned specifically for RAM’s exhibition featuring animated large-scale sculptures, paintings, ash paintings and installations. Zhang Huan: Q Confucius, guest curated by Fumio Nanjo, Director of Mori Art Museum, Tokyo will be on view from October 15, 2011 – January 29, 2012, accompanied by a catalog and a series of talks and panel discussions.

Q Confucius originates from a series of questions Zhang Huan posed about the future: Faced with rapid economic and societal changes and energy, climate, and environmental challenges, how can human beings achieve sustainable and harmonious development and restrain from rapacious plunder? What responsibilities come with China’s rise in international prominence and power; and how do we build a new international order in politics, economics and culture? Where is the sense of spiritual belonging for contemporary Chinese – should there be a return to tradition, a closer alignment to the west, or something new? Though these questions seem immense and unrelated, Zhang Huan finds them to be critically interconnected and hopes the exhibition will provide a structure to observe, reflect, and instigate discussion. Using Confucius as a symbol throughout the exhibition, the artist provides a context for the questioning of spirituality in contemporary China, contrasting the Chinese spiritual leader’s beliefs with the teachings of Jesus and other religious beliefs.