aolab Experimental Gallery is an emerging art space located in Jing'an District, Shanghai, established in early 2021. As co-founders of aolab Design Consulting, Ding Funi and Gong Huining are dedicated to shaping this venue into a distinctive artistic platform. Situated within the Shanghai Printing Technology Research Institute - the birthplace of modern Chinese typography - the gallery inherits profound cultural significance.

Group Photo of Typeface Designers (1969)

Shanghai Printing Technology Research Institute

01 WALL NO.12660mm
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04 GLASS NO.44490mm
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aolab Experimental Gallery is an emerging art space located in Jing'an District, Shanghai, established in early 2021. As co-founders of aolab Design Consulting, Ding Funi and Gong Huining are dedicated to shaping this venue into a distinctive artistic platform. Situated within the Shanghai Printing Technology Research Institute - the birthplace of modern Chinese typography - the gallery inherits profound cultural significance.

Through physical exhibitions and new media formats, aolab Experimental Gallery explores cutting-edge issues in contemporary art. Embracing open and innovative concepts, it maintains ongoing collaborations with domestic and international artists, creative professionals, and scholars to promote artistic exchange and intellectual discourse. The gallery curates seasonal thematic exhibitions spanning design, photography/multimedia, traditional media, and educational programs.

As a fledgling art platform, aolab continuously experiments with novel artistic expressions while facilitating interactions between art enthusiasts and creators. Its community-oriented programming encompasses exhibitions, curation, lectures, workshops, commercial partnerships, and diverse public engagement activities.

With professional expertise,

we illuminate emerging brilliance.

Haidy Gong

Exhibition Initiator
Graduated from ArtCenter College of Design (ACCD) and served as the Lead of ACCD CN Hub, dedicated to crafting captivating and consumer-centric brand experiences.During their tenure at Gensler’s Los Angeles office—the world’s largest design firm—they led spatial design projects for global headquarters and media campuses of Apple, Amazon, Beats, and other industry leaders.
An iF Design Award winner, they have reimagined brand spaces for renowned companies such as Unilever, Disney, Budweiser, New Balance, and Tennie Weenie. Additionally, they excel at nurturing emerging artists through innovative brand collaborations.

Funi Ding

Exhibition Initiator
Creates products that elevate human life quality and develops meaningful brand experiences.Former furniture designer at globally renowned architecture firm HOK, where they designed artistic products for premium brands including Scavolini, Allsteel, Kartell, and Okamura. As the sole product designer for Danish brand HAY in the Asia-Pacific region, Funi is dedicated to exploring the intersection of innovative craftsmanship and artistic expression.
Funi's product designs have received multiple international accolades such as the iF Design Award, German Design Award, HIP Annual Best Interior Design Award, Shanghai Sheung Award, and ICFF Product Design Award. Their works have been collected by internationally acclaimed artists and museums.

Nicole Yan

Curator
Nicole holds a degree from Cornell University's College of Architecture, Art, and Planning (an Ivy League institution) and previously served as Digital Creative Content Promotion Lead. She has worked with prestigious international brands including LVMH, Dyson, and IKEA.With deep expertise in brand-centric content marketing, Nicole firmly believes that "content is brand." She specializes in developing and executing professional, high-impact content marketing strategies across diverse industries such as art, fashion, new retail, finance, IoT, healthcare, automotive, and sports.
Notably, Nicole has facilitated multiple successful artist collaboration projects for brands like Nike, Budweiser, and NIO, demonstrating particular strength in nurturing emerging artistic talent. Her work bridges the gap between commercial brands and contemporary art, creating meaningful cross-disciplinary dialogues.

Our team brings together multidisciplinary talents from art, design, culture, and emerging talent incubation, united in our mission to advance the preservation and innovation of art. Through unique perspectives and acute insight, we delve into the intrinsic value of art while actively exploring its intersections with contemporary society.

We recognize the vital role of a new generation of artists, who amplify the voices of our time through groundbreaking forms and visionary creativity. Dedicated to fostering a diverse and open platform for artistic dialogue, we empower emerging artists to showcase their talent. By collaborating with renowned enterprises, brands, and academic institutions, we create expansive opportunities for growth and commercial viability, enabling artists to thrive on their creative journeys.

Our goal is to deliver unconventional and inspiring art experiences that captivate audiences, inviting them to witness the boundless possibilities and enduring vitality of art.

benefits:

Solo Exhibition Opportunity

Selected artists will be awarded a solo exhibition at our gallery to showcase their work and demonstrate their creative talent to the public.

Visa/

Immigration Eligibility

Our program fulfills critical requirements for overseas talent visas or immigration, providing essential support for artists' international career development. Applicants must meet specific visa criteria, such as achieving 500K monthly views on exhibition coverage media and 100K+ newspaper circulation.

Media Coverage Platforms

The solo exhibition will be promoted across premium media platforms including:

Chinese media: The Paper, Youth.cn, Xinmin.cn, NetEase News
International media: Domus, TED
to enhance artists' visibility and artwork exposure.

Recommendation Letter Support

Our organizing team—with extensive experience and professional credentials—will provide powerful recommendation letters to significantly improve approval rates for overseas talent visa/immigration applications. With a proven track record of successful visa assistance, our endorsement adds credibility and strengthens applicants' cases.

(Note: Visa statistics and success rates can be quantified if available for greater impact)